Listening to the morning thunder roll through I remember as a child I was deathly afraid of storms until a babysitter explained them to me.  She picked me up in her arms and stood by the window as the flashing of lightning graced the sky and rumbles of thunder followed. She also explained how to stay safe, in my child’s eyes it freed me up to enjoy the storm instead of fear it.

I work in fear quite often, in hospice people are often afraid of many things, death, the process, using morphine, doing “something wrong”…it is a long list.  I educate patients and their loved ones, I give lots of emotional support and hugs and usually we come out the other side of these fears where love resides.  Being part of the dying process is a gift we give each other, on hospice the patient can maintain as much control of their life as they desire and the family supports them, it is a beautiful gift of unconditional love that often comes full circle when child cares for parent.

Yesterday a daughter burst into tears because her father told her he was invited to a party and she was not, the welcoming committee on the other side had extended the invitation which he had initially declined but he had a far off look in his eyes.

“He’s dying” …she said as the tears tumbled off her cheeks.

“Yes,” I responded quietly, and then took her in my arms and told her what a wonderful job she was doing, how she was giving him a gift no one else could! She nodded in understanding; the fear in her eyes was receding as love reclaimed her heart.

Our world has so much fear in it, but we must remember that we have the power to change that one person at a time by embracing love, coming from a place of compassion and understanding for ourselves and others. We are all doing the best we can when we come from love.