Being back at work must have been too much, too soon. And so, she’s back in the hospital.
I am reminded of a Tedx talk, “what people say when they don’t know what to say” by Adrianne Haslet-Davis, survivor of a Boston marathon bombing. What I took away: Don’t ask what you can do for those in need. Think about what would give them a little bit of joy and do just that. Instead of not doing anything, not visiting, ignoring, and making things easier for ourselves, do what’s right. Do what you can to make it easier and better for another human being.
I’m not quite sure what I could do. I remember being in the hospital once. Not in my own clothes but in hospital gowns. On a bed with no one around me. Feeling isolated and helpless. A world of endless waiting and hoping.
The smallest things taken for granted seem so precious and impossible. Sterile walls. Sterile furniture. Sterile smells.
Being able to walking out to the patio to take a breath of morning’s freshness while sipping on the steaming cup of coffee cut with milk. The little things of life taken for granted. The sum of little things is what life is made of.
I wish I could give the comforts of a hot liquid warming her body. Instead, I’ll do what I can. Usher in a bit of the outside world into her corner with electronic messages.