The past couple of weeks have brought the opportunity to be with someone experiencing a difficult medical condition, involving hospitalization and now a slow recovery. The condition at times has been pretty scary, for the patient and for this support person.
Speaking from the standpoint of the supporter, it has been one of those “this is why we practice” times. Some things have come into even sharper focus:
urgency is completely unhelpful. The drive to the hospital is 20 miles and can feel endless. But even when the call comes at midnight to please come, there is nothing in racing around the house or hitting the gas pedal hard that serves any human being involved. Breathing, breathing, breathing – so you arrive, perhaps four minutes later than if you’d panicked, actually able to be present.
Seek support/Life provides. These go together. Reaching out was met with ample offers of assistance of all kinds, from prayers to casseroles. Any kind of “stiff upper lip, I’ll handle this myself” would have resulted only in isolation.
And how deft of Life to provide an email class right at this point! So in dealing with the authority of doctors, which can feel a bit intimidating, here comes Class 5: the 5th Chakra, the vehicle of expression. Breathe into the chakra and ask the questions, pose the challenges and receive the responses.
Another recognition: Sangha is everywhere. Nurses, aides, linen changers, cafeteria cooks, volunteers and physicians are all conveyers of Life’s kindness, attentiveness and humor. We are surrounded by Sangha.
And finally, if you’re really lucky, Life will provide an opportunity, right now, to write the Practice Corner article and acknowledge all these gifts.
Gassho,
Penny