This wasn’t my planned post for today. In fact, I had hoped to never write a post like this. I’m tired, ya’ll. I’ve wondered often how long it will last. The hatred. The lack of love seen in our world. Yesterday morning I struggled to get out of the bed. My two-year-old never sleeps in on the weekends and I was tired from the day before. I groaned. I complained. Then it hit me. Somebody didn’t wake up in a physical sense today. Somebody left their earthly home, never to return. Somebody is without a loved one this morning. I whispered a quick prayer of thankfulness and I got up, new attitude in tow. I fixed my son’s breakfast, then I grabbed my cellphone. I was right. Somebody didn’t wake up this morning. Too many some bodies.
There is something extremely beautiful, yet hauntingly limiting when you become a nurse. You loose your ability to choose. Let me explain. When I taught in a nursing program, the first unit I was assigned to teach was communication and culture. This unit focuses on how to communicate with patients, their families, and other members of the healthcare team. It also focuses on cultural differences, race, religion, sexual orientation/preference, etc. I absolutely loved teaching this unit. The greatest lesson within this unit doesn’t lie within definitions of terms or nursing considerations or labels. People don’t belong in boxes. The greatest lesson is that students must choose now, on this day, to freely give up their freedom to choose. No textbook can teach you compassion. No resource is available on caring, tolerance, and transparent truth. You no longer choose whom you care for and do not. You must care for all, no matter the circumstance or situation.
People are not what they did today, last night, what club they decided to go to, what they ate for dinner, or how they put their pants on. People are living, breathing, irreplaceable extensions of the Creator. Human life is sacred. All human life. Not just the people who look and think like you (thanks, Disney…you got that one right.) I saw people being the light in a pool of darkness. The main reason we get so disheartened by the news, is because it is a part of the media’s job to report drama (sorry, not sorry.) Drama sells. You can guarantee that if it is negative, it will be reported. We focus on that. In all that darkness, I saw so much light that went unreported or under reported. Crowds of people rushing to donate blood, frantic survivors carrying the wounded to safety. Hugs and love and prayers and action. I REFUSE to believe, from now on, that evil is winning in this world. My world. The world my son will grow up in. I must believe that love wins. It exists and is real and is powerful beyond measure.
Let us not just pray for Orlando. Let us pray for our world. All people. All religions. All races. All sexual orientations. All God’s people. We must not stop being and doing good in this world. One day, friends, we will see the fruit of that labor. If not in this life, in the next. But hopefully, in this life. Peace be with you all.
Wearily, yet abounding in hope and love,
A.G.
