4 difficult questions
Let’s imagine our post-pandemic selves for a moment. Will everything we lived through change us for a better? What will happen with our priorities? Will we pay more attention to the issues surrounding the social isolation and the loneliness? For example, will we combat the epidemic of loneliness in seniors?
A socially responsible idea for your post-pandemic wedding
Well, finding answers to the questions above and becoming a socially-conscious is your personal task. However, my piece of work here is to generate great ideas. So let me get straight to the topic.
As you know, some couples are still having gift registries. They ask their guest to buy everything from sets of the super-soft sheets to gorgeous cast iron pots or fancy coffee tables for their stylish living room. However, there are a lot of environmentally- and socially-minded folks who go sustainable and ask guests to donate to charity instead of buying material gifts or giving cash to themselves. The list to choose from is as wide as the sky. Maybe you love animals? Perhaps you are passionate about world peace or stopping climate change? Do you want to help to end hunger in Africa? So basically your choice in this case depends on your personal priorities.
However, although giving to charity is without any doubts a great thing to do, at the same time it can be quite remote or distant I would say. Therefore, I want to invite you to do something for your local community, and, most importantly, to do something for those who need it the most. It’s not a secret, that weddings are all the time very warm gatherings, but that is exactly the reason why we should think about those who are the loneliest in this planet – elderly seniors living in the nursing homes.
That all said, I would like to encourage you to do something really really good. Why not to ask your guests to buy some lovely little gifts for nursing home residents instead of buying wedding presents for you? It can be something as small as a pair of warm socks, comfortable slippers, soft blanket, hand lotion or blooming plant in the pot.
It’s the heart that matters
But the most important gift in this case will be your time! Let your guests know that after the wedding you will go to visit the elderly residents of the local nursing home and will bring all these small gifts with you. Because the gift of time is the most enriching of all. Please trust me, spending half an hour or even just a few moments will be a great experience for all.
I want to believe this is the most valuable gift your wedding guests can give to you. Our senior citizens are valuable members of society and have gained a lot of wisdom over the years. Therefore, spending some time with them can be actually very valuable experience for young people who just started to build their home and family.
It’s so easy to ignore. But loneliness is toxic. It kills.