HOME — Monday Motivational Meditation #372 — 2018-09-24

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs
and returns home to find it.

George A. Moore, 1852-1933

Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family who lived at Moore Hall in Carra, County Mayo. He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s.

HOME

When the day is done, most people make their way home to a place where they are revived, and they can clean their nets of all that has entangled them and put away their cares. When I know at times that the attention I have been giving is more than what they are going to receive when they get home, my heart breaks. I wonder what I might do. Because I have been with my patient at a vulnerable time, I am often trusted, and the trust must be managed carefully.

There are those moments when people have found their personal home with me. The clinic room or their hospital room has been a place of residence and a place where their affections and concerns could be heard. They have felt safe and unafraid. In those moments, sometimes I have had to be the bearer of truth to them and help them realize this is not their home. As much as I care, I have to help them identify those places where they will find some safety and even happiness when they leave.

I want to assure those I care for that their lives are valuable and that they are alive and need to find those people or places where they can be whole and at peace. Sometimes, the memory of them lingers with me, and I find myself hoping and praying that they will be okay.

Heart of the Divine, help me never lose compassion for my patients as they share their hurts and fears with me. Guide me as I try to offer wise counsel and encourage them to be courageous while not losing heart. Keep me clear about boundaries but never afraid to take the chance on letting someone know I care. AMEN.

ACTION: What are your ideas about keeping good boundaries? How do you encourage people who are afraid to go home? How do you find their inner strength? Recall a story of a difficult discharge and what helped you through it.

Taryn Baxter

“Hola! I’m a natural light wedding photographer based in Sayulita, Mexico. Originally from Victoria, Canada, I received a professional photography diploma there in 2006. I have been photographing weddings since 2010 (over 100 and counting!) and moved to Sayulita in 2015. I love travel and the outdoors and on my days off you can find me hiking or at the beach!

“I’m based in the beautiful beach town of Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico from October to June each year. As well as Sayulita, I am available for work in Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita, San Pancho, Los Cabos, Tulum, Zihuatanejo, San Miguel De Allende as well as many other locations in Mexico! I LOVE to travel and will consider accepting bookings in foreign countries so long as I’m legally allowed to work there!”

The photos featured in this series called, “Neighborhoods,” were taken in the Mexican Pacific Coastal town of Zihuatanejo i I would like to thank Taryn for giving Nursing Heart permission to share her lovely work. You can learn more about Taryn and see more photos click HERE.

Nursing Heart Friends,

It is very important to us that we respect and follow the laws and guidelines required of those who are providing care for people in Guatemala. That was one of the reasons why almost two years ago now Nursing Heart became an official association in Guatemala. The government is very concerned, and rightly so, about money laundering. Therefore, we thought it was in our best interest to do our work as a verifiable organization rather than relying on our partners to secure our legal status.

This year the Health Department has mandated some changes for non-governmental organizations like ourselves that requires us to document and seek permissions for services provided to communities. It is a couple more hoops to jump through but we take these things on because so many people need the services we provide.

We value our partnerships built on mutual trust and respect. This week the team was assuring the new San Martin Health Director of our intentions to follow through on all that is required. An email doesn’t cut it. We had to go and be present to assure the director that we will support her in her work and she can trust us. This is the way we make real our rhetoric: “Building partnerships that foster public health and hope.”

Our season officially gets underway in the first week of October as we welcome back our friends from the University of South Dakota. They will be installing nine stoves in San Lorenzo El Cubo. If you’d like to support them by donating a high-efficiency wood burning stove, click HERE.

Our General Campaign is continuing. We are seeking 50 new monthly patrons of our work. We appreciate whatever you can do. Five dollars a month can make a big difference.

Peace,

If you are a nurse practitioner and would like to join us for the FAU group on November 3-10, we have space for at least two more. We would appreciate your help very much. Please write to me at ron@nursingheart.org if you are interested.

Also our annual Friends of Nursing Heart program is scheduled for January 26-February 2. This program is open to nurses and others. We will be doing a building project and clinics during the week. It’s always a very special time. Click to learn more.

Learn more about our work at nursingheart.org.

Home is our sanctuary
where we can ponder both
our blessings and our challenges.

Dr. Evelyn McKnight
Founder of HONOReform
Fremont, Nebraska

Learn about Evie’s incredible story at honoreform.org.