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You Matter to Me!
In light of sending out Lucie Storrs, makeadifference.com/movies earlier this week, and with the approach of the holiday season, I wanted to share a couple of stories that were sent to me from Hospice Manager from B.C. Canada, Linda Kozina's "I Make A Difference" Journal:
July 17, 2008: The "I Make A Difference" bracelet was handed to Carole S on Thursday. It was noted that Carole went above and beyond housekeeping expectations to draw a bath for P, ensuring there were warm blankets and assuring him absolute dignity and privacy as he soaked in the tub. You see P has HepC and the staff is worried about infection control, however, Carole said she would sterilize the public area after his bath ...extra work for her on this shift. Thank you Carole, you have made a difference in the hospice today.
August 7, 2008: John Ford, "I Make A Difference" bracelet recipient was awarded a bracelet for exceptional organization and clean up of the equipment storage room. Storage items normally left on the floor had been lifted to high shelves and wheel chairs were organized. This was done without fan fare and when I asked the staff, no one seemed to know who had done it. It was only a week later when John mentioned that he knew where something was that I was looking for, that we found out who our stealth organizer was. Thank you John! You've made a difference in the hospice.
I got a call from a Grandmother this past week who told me that this Thanksgiving, she is going to give every member in her family, a "long over due" one-on-one acknowledgement and an "I Make A Difference" wristband from her heart with the hope of healing long standing, underlining rifts.
Frederick Buechner's quote often pops in to my mind when I'm emotionally triggered by the initial appearance of thoughtless, disruptive and/ or unskillful behavior:
Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling
what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin.
It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace
and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.
Section 6: page 111
I admit that some times in those initial moments of reacting, it still takes work to regulate myself and decide to put compassion first by choosing to seek understanding before doing or saying anything! Compassion, in those moments, really does turn "Me" into "We." It amazes me every time it happens ... but it always happens.
The whole point of the holiday's it would seem, IS to lay down our differences, prejudices and old-worn out resentments and simply embrace each other's gifts and idiosyncrasies.
This week, I’d also like to introduce you to Michelle Campos. She owns a small catering business and has lived in Discovery Bay, California, for sixteen years. Michelle and her husband, parents of three and grandparents of two, have owned their own erosion control business for the last seven years.
I want to share Michelle’s story with you today, because I feel, in its message, a deep sense of importance to us all―how compassion “gives back” in ways that are expansive and unending.
The gift in compassion is that it frees us from attachment to an outcome. When we are free, we are already making a difference by what we then model and are compelled to do for others.
Families and friends are all about living, loving and compassion, in the face of all that we may find difficult to embrace. What a difference it makes to ease a loved one’s transition! And yet we, ourselves, receive so much from the opportunity―the experience―put before us.
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Make A Difference - with Transitions
Excerpt from Make A Difference with the Power of Compassion
"My dearest long-time friend of 23 years, Suzanne, just passed away three days ago. My heart is sad; however, she is now soaring with the angels in a perfectly healthy body and I feel her everywhere.
"Sue was diagnosed ten months ago with a rare form of ovarian cancer which has no known cure. After undergoing several bouts of chemo, she decided to try the naturopathic approach. Her dedication and her fight to be a cancer survivor inspired me daily. About two months ago she had to sell her condo, give away almost all of her treasured possessions and move in with her son and daughter-in-law. They have a wonderfully warm home and they created a beautiful room for her, with windows to look out of, waterfalls and flowers to gaze at. It was a peaceful place.
My body's a mess but my spirit is soaring!
"She graciously surrendered to the 'process' as she'd called it. Many times people would ask, 'How are you doing?' and she'd say, 'Well, my body is really a mess but my spirit is soaring!'
"Sue knew her time was short and soon Hospice was called, so she could be comfortable in her last days. As her friend, I treasured the hours spent with her, talking and sharing our memories over the years. This last week was especially precious, with her sharing my love and gratefulness for having her in my life. I'd lie on the bed with her for hours, reassuring her it was okay to let go.
"She has raised two wonderful sons who lavished her with love and tenderness until the very end. My memory of her fnal day with us was of her sons placing orchids around her pillow, rubbing her feet and hands while playing beautiful music for her, telling her over and over how much they loved her.
"She was covered with a beautiful purple pareo and looked like an angel ready for the next journey of her life. The biggest blessing was that her son and daughter-in-law were blessed with a baby just two weeks before her passing. They'd been trying to adopt for over a year and little Aayden entered their lives just in time! Sue got to hold him and be blessed by his sweet presence.
"I realize how fortunate I was to be with Sue, to talk to her, even though she couldn't respond with words... she knew my voice and my touch. It felt complete and I knew I could let her go.
"I will miss her every day, I will miss her laughter, her endless energy and the hundreds of phone calls. I will miss dancing with her and just taking long walks. She has left a lasting imprint on my heart. Soar my beautiful friend and someday we will be together again!"
You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
- Kahlil Gibran
Section 4: page 79 makeadifference.com/GiftBook |
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This Thanksgiving, let all of your friends, family and / or loved ones know just how much they matter and what a difference the have made in your life.
Reaching
out ...
Mary Robinson Reynolds
Founder of Heart Productions & Publishing
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