AVA Director Yvonne DeVaughn at Covenant Village of Colorado, May 2014.
It has been said that when you get older you become more emotionally stable and content and that “time heals all wounds.” Recently, I conducted an AVA Conference at Covenant Village (CV) of Colorado, a retirement community located in Westminster, Colorado and I question whether these aging assumptions are completely accurate when one has been subjected to horrific, violent experiences. During my brief stay at CV I was privileged to listen to residents and staff members tell their personal stories of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and spiritual violence that happened years ago (some going back to their early childhood) and yet continue to break or impact their hearts and lives today.
As each (often extremely tentative) revealed small glimpses into their painful experiences I marveled at their courage and strength and at how many have carried intangible weights for decades. I listened for what was and was not said. I knew that all I was at that moment in time was just a gentle holding “container” — a safe place for their tragic experiences and memories to be shared. I was reminded of how much all of us need sacred space to let down our guard and lighten our emotional loads for a few minutes and that those few minutes are sometimes just enough for the wounded to begin or continue their own healing journey.
For me it validated that time does not necessarily heal all wounds but tender, respectful, and careful listening from the faith community may be just what God has ordered as one prescription for those who are living in the tension of now and then. That sometimes people are not looking so much for an answer but just soul care, no matter how brief. It also reminded me that these types of pain will never be completely erased in this life, but for some it can be eased when those who are wounded are welcomed and believed by their faith community.
Yvonne DeVaughn
AVA Director
Read the Covenant Newswire Story HERE.
