Everyone has unique experiences in life. Each person has a story to tell and words of wisdom that can be shared with others. With that in mind, we’d like to introduce you to some of the wonderful people who live here at CHCC. Here is a recent Q&A session we did with Tom G.
Q: Have you lived in other places besides Lynden?
A: I was in the Marine Corps, so I moved around a lot. And then I worked in horticulture, so I had to move around to find out where to plant my feet. I lived in Pittsburgh and lots of places in California. I lived in Ohio for a short while and Arizona, too.
Q: What industry did you retire from?
A: I’m not retired yet; I still have two green thumbs. [Said with a laugh.]
I worked for over 30 years in the gardening business doing maintenance and landscaping.
Q: What was your favorite thing about the work you did?
A: I liked everything about horticulture work in southern California. I loved figuring out what plants grew well in that climate; I could grow just about anything there because it never got too cold. I drew landscape plans for new homes knowing the different strengths and weaknesses of the plants I was choosing. It was a good challenge.
Q: If you could have any type of food, what would it be?
A: A banana split, because they’re so yummy. Growing up, we always lived for the weekends because that’s when we splurged. We would work hard all week and then we could go out to Carl’s — a little ice cream shop in Pennsylvania — every Friday night and have a banana split with three different types of ice cream and three different toppings.
Q: What was your favorite decade to live in, and why?
A: That would be during my high school years. I found out a lot of good things about myself, like what I could do with painting and that I enjoyed the outdoors.
We worked hard (grew up on an Angus beef farm), and then we would swim in the creek and ride horses. I liked the freedom I had then.
Q: What is one piece of advice that you would give a 16-year-old person today?
A: Find out what you were gifted with when you were born, and then do it. If you have natural gifts that God has given you, use those gifts.
Q: You’ve lived through other historical events — wars and recessions and such. What do you think of the pandemic that we’re living through now?
A: I don’t see the pandemic has any control over me. I’m still doing what I like to be doing, like reading, studying, painting, doing video calls with my family, and going out to the garden.
Q: What is one thing that you like about living at CHCC?
A: I like that they don’t demand that I do this or that. They don’t bother me; I have freedom here. The food is good, too!