Answering the Call

 I have the great good fortune to be able to volunteer in ways that touch my heart. I am a hospice volunteer. That means I am a companion to those who are terminally ill, and I get to help the person’s loved ones in “walking them home” as Ram Dass says.

I am so very grateful for this honor. I am often this person’s last friend. As such, my goal is to be the very best friend I can be to them, offer much more than mere companionship; as they’re able, we talk about fond memories of family and friends, of spiritual beliefs and temporal realities. Sometimes, all they need is the presence of another person, and sometimes they simply want a little human touch. It’s such a simple thing to provide, and something which most of us crave, I think. I’ll hold their hand, or provide a little energy work in the form of gentle touch or, often, foot rubs. 

It’s all a part of being involved in this beautiful life while we have it. They know, if they still have awareness, that they are in the final stretch of life, whereas most of us have no idea when the end of our physical existence will happen. My mother used to crack me up by saying “If and when I go…”! Momma, ain’t no ‘if’ to it!

We all have gifts to offer others, be they human or animal. Every day, I am grateful for the gifts I’ve been given, and the ways in which I get to express them.