Kindness For Caregivers

My oldest daughter was home for the weekend. She lives in the Twin Cities which have been largely under siege due to the rioting. A Target store, very nearby where she lives, was looted and partially burned. Needless to say, it is tense and tenuous there.  In addition to this, she works at a level one trauma hospital. On any given day, she is exposed to Covid-19 and tuberculosis along with a list of other difficult patients. I could not help but feel proud of the way she cares for these people in these circumstances without hesitation. I think there are a lot of caregivers that are in this circumstance and serve in the same selfless way.

The mayhem that has recently erupted, coupled with the tensions of the seeming senseless and never-ending shelter-at-home, has provided the perfect storm for all of this. I find myself asking what I can do to help, or to make things somehow better. My experience has been that finding what is good, or doing something positive, has consistently been effective at calming the storm in my life and, in some way, those around me. But what could it look like now?

Doing something in the Cities, or in L.A., New York, or Chicago, doesn’t seem realistic. What does is to do something locally. Find a local caregiver… a Doctor, Nurse Practitioner/PA, Nurse, CNA, etc. that you can reach out to. Buy them a cup of coffee, pint of raspberries, or flowers that says you noticed and appreciate their serving. Even just a note, or a simple “Thank You!” in person, can convey the message. I have a feeling both of you will find your day a bit better.

Big changes take place, many times, in small steps. Try this little gift and make the SHIFT today!