Art can be therapeutic. Copley at Stoughton’s lobby mural is an excellent example of that. Not only does it provide a creative outlet for our residents, but it also brings brightness and happiness to our hallways and a great way to greet visitors.
Normally, with the help of our incredible activities department, residents change the mural with the seasons, a symbol of constant rejuvenation at Copley. It’s sort of like a garden in that sense, bringing a fresh perspective every few months or so.
Of course, that’s one of the many things that changed with COVID. Restrictions meant our residents couldn’t gather to paint their beautiful murals. The last mural had to be done one resident at a time. But now, with vaccinations finished, we can start our in-person activities, with safety protocols in place, of course. So, the summer mural is now in full swing, with residents meeting in small groups, painting, and socializing with their friends, all for the common good!
If “COVID” was the theme for 2020, then I hope “back to normal” will be this year’s theme. As I’ve reflected in this blog, every month, we seem to get closer to the way things used to be, and life, in general, is getting a little bit lighter.
Spring is always a time for transformation, but it’s particularly significant this year. For me, this year’s summer mural will be one of the most important symbols for that change and rejuvenation.
I’m not sure we will ever truly get back to the way things used to be. But then, what garden looks exactly the same, year after year? Even if you put the carrots in the same place and the peonies and the tomato plants, the garden still looks slightly different than it did last growing season. Sometimes you even get good little surprises sprouting up.
That’s what I’m hoping for this year: good little surprises. Our newest mural will be a symbol of this too.