What Is Lonnie's Room?

There is a room in our home to which I navigate more frequently than the others. It makes me feel secure, it is cozy, and it is quiet. From the peak of the room, there is a large rusty metal angel suspended by a very thin wire. It would apear as if the angel is hovering over me, protecting, and always present. The lighting in the room creates a virtual display of dancing shadows around the angel.

Every evening when I am in "MY ROOM", I think of what Luciano de Crescenzo once said, "We are all like one-winged angels. it is only when we help each other that we can fly."

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Happiness

"My Room" this morning offers me the serenity to reflect on my week.  John Shurin said: "Happiness is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves.  It is not what we see like a rainbow, or feel like the heat of a fire.  Happiness is something we are."  This phrase was proven to me this week when I counselled a lady that has left her footprint in many lives.  She is a single mother who has taken in, adopted, and raised neglected and abused children in the inner city. Sixteen of these troubled children have passed through her doors throughout her life.  The stories she shared about the children with mental illness, bipolar disorders, pregnancies and drug addictions touched my heart in ways I cannot even begin to explain.  God has given her these challenges and she has accepted without hesitation.  Happiness to her is giving children a loving home and watching them adjust to better circumstances.  Although there were tears on occasions, there was always a smile on her face and exuberation in her voice as she shared her stories.  What an angel our greater being has sent to take care of the children of our damaged world.  Thank you to all the Vickies who have the strength to accept the challenges handed to them and do it with love and happiness.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Treasures

My dog, Izzy, and I walk the south edge of the property each day searching for treasures. Izzy's treasures consist of sticks, pine cones, or lost items.  My treasures are in the form of nature.  I often marvel at how the rows of evergreens have grown and now boast proudly of nature's beauty. Each season the landscape changes which reminds me of the life cycle.  We go from spring of new life, to summer of warm breezes, to fall of amazing color to the dying of winter.... but we always come back to the new beginnings of spring.

I think we all need a place of solace with nature in order to be thankful for the gifts that have been handed to us.  Something as simple as the first flower of spring or the first robin can be a remedy for those who are grieving, sad, or scared.  With nature our problems diminish  reassuring us that there is a greater being who has provided us with new beginnings.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Rock Bottom

Eleanor Ditrick once wrote a "flutterby" entitled Hitting Rock Bottom.  In that reflection she stated, "When I get to rock bottom... wherever that is... God isn't alarmed that I hit rock bottom....God made the rock."  I am contemplating this reflection this morning as it has been a difficult week for me.  Although I am no where near rock bottom, my spirit has been challenged and has slid to a lower level.  How do we get to rock bottom?  We become observers rather than participants, and we lose our voices to the noises of life. When we do not participate and have a voice, we lose our ability to cope with change, illness, death, conflict, and poverty.  We need balcony people to pull us up to a higher level.  Who are your balcony people? 

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Tapestries

Tapestries…. common threads woven together to produce a beautiful rug, pillow or blanket and displayed for others to see. Often tapestries become family treasures passed from one generation to another. In my mind, a tapestry of memories can represent just about anything that is important to us. In “My Room”, I have a quilt which was originally made by my mother in law. It is not beautiful, it is not fancy… in fact, it is pretty pathetic. It is beginning to wear and edges are unraveling, but it is my favorite snuggly item. When I am cold, I wrap myself in “my tapestry” which often generates memories of the person who worked diligently in its creation. What tapestry will I leave for those who follow me? Will they think of something I have materially made?  will they remember lessons learned, occasions celebrated, and love shared? Have I made an impact on family, friends or clients? Have I done my very best of talents God has given me? What is your tapestry?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Passion for Hospice

One of the passions in my life is my love for hospice and what it offers to those needing support.  It is not a medical model but rather a holistic model of caring for people.  Hospice care begins when curative treatment is no longer expected to be effective.  This care does not hasten nor postpone death, but respectfully recognizes dying as a natural process.  Support is given to patient and family members during this difficult time as pain is experienced in physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual forms.   Our hospice team comes to the patient, whether that be in his/her home, assisted living, or nursing home. The patient and family have choices, one of them being their choice of  hospices.  If the patient is in a nursing home which is serviced by more than one hospice, the patient and family must be given the opportunity to choose the hospice they would like.  They also have voice in their care.  These are the patient and family's rights.  Explore your options in order to make wise decisions. Once you have made these decisions, lean on your chosen team for support. Hospice is providing solutions in difficult time; it is being close in a time of fear, and it is a friend when needed.  God bless.