We talk a lot about self care in this hospital. With all the intensity and heaviness we have to be careful. Self care may mean thorough processing of tragedies. Or eating lunch outside after a morning in the dark NICU. It may look like finding ways to get your homework before you go home, or laughing with the other residents after a patient has been particularly rude. It may even take the form of obsessive blogging to mark the path and remember lessons learned.
The Samaritan gives us a great image of balance and self care.
"The Samaritan finished his journey. The Samaritan finished his journey while meeting the need of a wounded and marginal person. The Samaritan did not give everything away; in this enigmatic parable, he did not injure, hurt, or neglect self. He loved himself, and he loved his neighbor. He relied in a sense on the communal, on a type of teamwork as represented by the inn and by the host at the inn." Images of Pastoral Care, Robert Dykstra.
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Luke 10:27 and 28 NIV
Stuart - that's a van gogh! how you like me now?
"obsessive blogging to mark the path" - oh. I recognize that for me, too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference word choices make! I call your blogs an invitation into your world, without which I could not enter.
ReplyDeleteYour experiences are much too big to try to relate in any way other than the specific circumstances and thoughts that you share.
Obsessive blogging? To me, they are abundant invitations! I look forward to them!
The good Samaritan did not do it by himself, did he? This is a great reminder!