Being a True  C A R I N G  C A T A L Y S T
means that  Compassion  and  Love
need no Legislation or Policing and
Obliterates  THEM  and  THEY
or  I  and  YOU
and only is known abundantly as
US  and  WE.          .          .

T               I               S               S               U               E

A   T i s s u e.       .       .

Simple request, huh.        .       .

I was visiting them

for just a routine visit;

One month.     .     .

A month ago he was power washing his deck

buying a new car

going to a clam bake

and being diagnosed for the first time

with advance pancreatic cancer.          .          .

A       Month      Ago

isn’t a very long time.     .     .

a mere 744 hours

a mere 44,640 minutes

a mere 2,678,4000 seconds

.          .          .a  month

and now he’s just literally moments away from dying.          .          .

My Charting very sterilely states:

I provided supportive presence via active listening/validation of feelings/comments, life/faith/family review; I shared scripture/prayer/blessing/healing touch; the pt was never fully awake/responsive during visit but appears comfortable/managed; pt is showing s/s of actively dying with his breathing pattern and the mottling of his skin on his hands, lips and feet up to his knees; the family expressed thanks for my visit and for all services/interventions/support shown; when sharing that the he was our patient and they are our concern, I asked if I could be of any other service or if I could bring them anything; pt’s wife responded: “TISSUE.”  Can you bring us a softer tissue?”  I left room and acquired a softer box of tissues from the supply room. . . .”

Paint a picture

Just the facts

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

.         .          .as abrasive as a cheap, non-brand tissue.          .          .

He died shortly after I left for the day

and now I think of him

o          f          t          e          n

with every tissue I see

and I seem to be seeing them

e          v          e          r          y           w          h          e          r          e

The word   C O M P A S S I O N 

comes from Greek word

which literally translates:

S    U    F    F    E    R    I    N    G           W    I    T    H

and it’s never the S U F F E R I N G

that’s emphasized so much as

THE   WITH

R E A L     C H A N G E

never really is the JINGLE

in your pocket

so much as the recognition

IT   IS   THE   ONLY   THING   CONSTANT

in   our   lives

and often something we have little control.        .        .

A Month isn’t a very long time

A Tissue isn’t very much of a request in a world of

W               A               N               T               S

We’re not called to be millionaires

We’re not called to be Fixers

We’re not called to be Healers

We’re not called to be Nurses

We’re not called to be Doctors

We’re not called to be Chaplains

We’re not called to be Nursing Assistants

We’re not called to be Counselors

We’re called to be Compassionate People

The WHERE

THE WHEN

THE HOW

is inconsequential

to the T H A T

WE   ARE  COMPASSIONATE

WE   ARE  KIND

WE   ARE  EMPATHETIC 

WE   ARE   SYMPATHETIC 

WE   ARE   CARING  CATALYSTS 

IS   IT   TOO  MUCH   TO  ASK.          .          .

IS     IT     TOO     MUCH      EXPECT.          .          .

IS        IT        TOO        MUCH        FEEL.          .          .

IF     WE     FAIL.          .          .
                                                  CAN    IT   BE   IN   EXHAUSTING   EVERY  EFFORT 
                                                                               TO    L O V E.          .          .

l e t s     f i n d     o u t

even if it’s  just

a  softer  t i s s u e.          .          .

Being a True  C A R I N G  C A T A L Y S T
means that  Compassion  and  Love
need no Legislation or Policing and
Obliterates  THEM  and  THEY
or  I  and  YOU
and only is known abundantly as
US  and  WE.          .          .