Life comes with problems that insult our expectations. As a hospice grief counselor I walk into sadness on a daily basis. Guess what I hear most often from those who invite me into their pain? Love stories. Their tears are followed many times with laughter as they celebrate in their hearts the attributes of this person they cherished. For those who stayed close to the patient during the last days of their life, they are left with great peace. For those who stayed away, we talk about their regret.
Author: Laurie TenHave-Chapman
In a Fog
What is the “elevator speech” to your life? Who is in your sphere of influence? Do you offer a message that builds up those who are near, whether friend or stranger? Do you thank those who offer words of encouragement and let them know how they have blessed you? When faced with overwhelming challenges, do you scan your surroundings for messages that embolden you to use your gifts or do you throw in the towel and let others deal with it?
Sunflowers Showing Off
I did nothing to deserve this striking floral showpiece that sticks out her neck to show off her beauty. What I did was to keep my birdfeeder filled with a mixture that contains black oil sunflower seeds. The birds do the rest. As they peck at the feeder, cracking open resistant seeds with impressive acuity, some fall to the ground. Unnoticed by birds, chipmunks and other interested creatures who call my garden home, they tentatively open to the hospitality of the soil, the warmth of the sun and the hydration of the rain. They courageously begin to put down roots, fragile tendrils initially. Their journey, stretching toward the sky, has begun.
Piecing Life Together After Loss
I’m a grief counselor. I work in hospice care, reaching out to the loved ones after the patient dies. I call them a couple of weeks after the death and ask them how they’re doing. Then I listen. Like many of us, one woman had just lost her elderly mother. “I’m better than I was,”…
It’s Something I can Do
Hopefully, as the years go by, our experiences teach us that life’s greatest rewards come from serving others. Whether we are of modest means or can set a private cruise in motion with a phone call, we have gifts to share. These are not all material. In fact, the best gifts come in sharing ourselves authentically with another.