small Acts Transform the WORLD

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"

Never did I ever imagine becoming a volunteer. Even less did I imagine my journey would begin  in Hospice. I was always aware that I had an aberrant interest for the dead, and ill so recently I took a step forward and joined hospice care as a volunteer. Yesterday marked the first brick I took down from the wall refraining me from my goal, that wall that always seemed to be taller and taller, and everyday new obstacles make it seem nearly impossible. Even though I have only taken my first step forward, it feels like I am that much closer to meeting my goal. Even though I am nowhere near finishing my career, at least now I have some experience that will make me that much more educated.

“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.” 

Yeah, books do educate us, and inform us of new discoveries, but life.... Life lets us explore the opportunities that help fabricate who we become the day of tomorrow.  

Day 1: (because of HIPPA no patient information will be mentioned) I was given to attend a patient A, who suffers from the late stages of cerebrovascular degeneration, in Layman's term this is a cognitive diseases which is effected when there is poor circulation of blood to the brain, it usually occurs in the elderly, and there is currently no cure for it. Patient A has been bed ridden for nearly twenty years, and is now only able to consume foods in a liquid form. According to his caregiver, he has days were he is able to sing, and recite poems to her, but there are others (Like my visit) were he is just calmly sleeping.  Sounds intense doesn't it? Well imagine, the reason why I was given this opportunity was because patient A's caregiver feels the need to be accompanied, but who's to blame her, imagine your spouse being bedridden twenty years give or take, and you by there side meeting their every need. 

Mrs. A, is the most genuinely caring person ever, she greeted me with hugs and treated me as if she has known me for a life time. She sat me down, and I just let her express how she felt. Sometimes that's all the human is in need of, a caring shoulder to cry on. Mrs. A does have family, she mentioned she has three children, but unfortunately are unable to be by her side all time. They too have their own family hence, have to attend their jobs in order to keep their lives orderly. She cried momentarily as she began to reminisce about her past. She told me stories about when patient A was in better health. She talked about him as if he were her King. She then explained to me how she feels, even by being by his side all these years, in sickness and in health, that she still hasn't met her dues with him. She described who he is as being the perfect man. She felt that he deserved for her to go to the other side of the world and back for him, just by the way he has always treated her and their children. Consider this day and age it is hard to even sustain a relationship not ending in divorce, so kudos to them for making it over thirty years together. 

While being there, we talked about almost everything, but I noticed her greatest concern was to enlighten us on how important it is for people to be admirable to others. When one treats you repugnant, instead of showing the same actions, be the bigger one and just show them acts of amorousness, and you will see how they too will change. I guess the bigger picture is that in order to transform the world, it begins with just one person. If there is one thing I can say, is that by just going one day, she has already began to make an impact in my life, for some peculiar reason when I speak to her whether it is on the phone, or in person, she makes me want to become a better person, I don't quiet understand why this occurs... but I am definitely looking forward to see what will become of me. I guess that's the gift of giving. No matter how it is you give, God always rewards you; may not be monetary or a physical gift but God hands you what you need.  Who knows maybe our meeting wasn't a coincidence, maybe there is a reason to this madness.