Yesterday I spent the afternoon back in the academic halls of Emmanuel College. I love that school. It is seminary for the United Church of Canada and where I took the masters degree that I now hold. I was there because I am feeling a desire to further my studies since finding the work of Dr. Christina Puchalski . I have been engaged with the personal support worker program since January 2015 only to be one of the unfortunate people cast out on the sidewalk with the closing of Everest College and now wait to see what is next for me with this program. While I wait I work as a casual employee of a nursing company going in and doing light housekeeping for infirm and shut-in adults. I am learning so much about our Canadian system of caring for people.
Most recently there was an article in the UC Observer focusing on Spiritual but Secular talking about the need of people to find meaning in their lives. This article partners, for me, with the need to bridge gaps in our human development. I am seeking desire and find little burning desire in my gut these days because, at times, I feel defeated as to where I should be in life. Traditionally, at my age many are thinking of retiring or at least looking to cash in their investments and traveling. But in this new environment of more people reaching 100 and 50 becoming the new 40 I find myself hungry to further discover what work needs to be done. It is when I focus on this study, grief, loss, finding meaning that the inferno in my belly fires up once again.
As I work more and more with the grief groups I find people trying to find meaning in their life. Grief does not simply follow the death of a loved one, it follows everyday life and challenges with daily living. Aging adults, children going to school, teens seeking post-secondary education, young adults looking for work, empty-nesters and any walking/talking human being faces grief and loss in life. What is "normal" anymore and how can a person find meaning in life?
Finding meaning is not a destination it is a journey. Meaning is experienced and developed over time. Dr. Puchalski's book A Time for Listening and Caring she points out right in the forward how "real care doesn't begin with costly procedures but with simple gifts of affection. As living beings, we all wish for happiness and seek to avoid suffering." By looking at this statement the work I do begins with the activities of daily living, simply trying to put one foot in front of the other.
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