What does ‘love’ mean to you? Many people think of ‘love’ as a relationship between two people. If we think about it – ‘love’ means much more than that! We can say that we ‘love’ the last place we vacationed in. We ‘loved’ the last book we read. We ‘loved’ the meal that you had at your friend’s home last week. To me – love is a truth that we choose to live with – or without.
“Love is a great thing, a good above all others, which alone maketh every burden light.
Love is watchful and whilst sleeping, still keeps watch; though fatigued,
it is not weary; though pressed, it is not forced.”
-Thomas A. Kempis
Loving those you care for is a unique and awesome forgotten about part of healthcare. Do you accept and care for each person without judgement – just the way they are? Do you wish to be accepted on these terms as well? Do you have expectations that something will materially be a result of your kindness and compassion? It is with love and compassion without expectation that we receive the highest gifts of all – and that is in knowing that we gave of ourselves in order to lighten the burdens and cares of others whom we provide care for. Our rewards need not be visible – or in kind – but in knowledge that you made a difference in someone else’s life every time you had the opportunity to do so! It means that you did not miss one opportunity to make another’s life a bit easier.
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If you can light a candle of kindness while you go about your tasks – then you have been able to achieve results that many others do not know exist. It is actually an eternal flame of light – it may be challenged in stormy winds – it may well flicker under pressure of giving and caring – but the flame will not die or go cold as long as you are replenishing its source – and that source is you!
Our staff can strongly benefit from knowing that we possess an opportunity in our work to provide grace and calm when the waters are choppy. We can provide safety and sureness when life feels tenuous and uncertain. We can provide companionship and care when another cannot do so for himself. We can make sure that there is no challenge too big for any of us when we approach it with ‘love.’
Sharing Social Work with You
Shirl Hutchinson – RSSW-GER
Faith and Grace Manor
