Bobby’s Story

11Apr11

“May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.”

~Mary Anne Radmacher

We were recently given the opportunity to share in the joyful and inspiring story of Bobby, a remarkable young man who lives in L’Arche Tahoma Hope’s Ananda House, where he’s been cared for since 1994. For those unfamiliar, L’Arche Tahoma Hope is made up of women and men, young and old, married and single, religious and lay, from different faiths and cultural affiliations, who have chosen to come together to create homes with people with developmental disabilities. These homes celebrate the unique value of every person and live in recognition of our need for one another.

As is immediately apparent to anyone who meets Bobby, he is an incredibly joyful and positive individual. When we came in to film, starting with his morning wake-up, breakfast, and stretches…. from these first moments, his presence was heartwarming and peaceful all at once.

Kai Hoffman, a poet and student who worked for a time as a live-in assistant at the Ananda House with Bobby, shared these thoughts with us:

In Kai’s words

“To look into his eyes is like looking into a sunrise. His gaze is always new, the enjoyment always fresh.” These words were spoken by my father when he came to visit the Tacoma L’Arche community in 2009, a quote that captures how Bobby is an example of what Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, calls “the theology of presence.” Bobby is unable to do almost anything on his own: eat, drink, change clothes, shower, go to the bathroom. Within the hierarchy of our culture, a hierarchy that places such priority on academic, financial, and material achievements, Bobby is as low as a person could get. But in terms of presence—a presence that will meet another’s directly, honestly, and with kindness—Bobby is far advanced from most of us. He is an example, as good as I have ever known, of the grace vulnerability can bring.

His life is one act of receiving help after another. Living with him shaped how I understand my own limitations, not as something to simply overcome, but as a vehicle towards the Holy. I hope, in some small or large way, this video conveys the goodness that so many of us who know Bobby have experienced.”

It was an honor to meet Bobby, and to have the chance to share his story, along with Stacie, and those who currently live and work and carry on the sense of family at the Ananda house. It was a beautiful experience, and a great reminder of the ‘Infinite Worth’ that we all represent…

As you go through your day, may you remember Bobby’s story, and the mantra this handy little card declares (courtesy of Kent Hoffman):

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Tags: ananda, care, community, heartwarming, infinite worth, Jean Vanier, joy, kent hoffman, l'arche, laughter, live-in assistance, religion, spirituality, tahoma hope, video