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Faith: The Art of Possibilities
“My possibility of being a successful author is one I am ready to seek out. Here is my first step on this new exciting journey.” - Bev Spindler
Faith. It is defined as the substance of those things hoped for. Often it is mistaken for belief in something or in some being. In the face of adversity it is what carries one through from hour to hour--at least this has been my experience.
I always wanted to be a mother. As did most little girls, I played house and baby dolls for hours. Coming from a large family, my dream had been for a large brood of children. After nearly ten years of marriage there were still no children, but I never gave up hope. (Then I turned my hopes over to the only one who could make them become reality—I left them with God.)
Shortly after my thirty fourth birthday I found out I was going to have my first baby. My husband and I were elated. We knew our lives were about to change and we looked forward to this new chapter. Best of all, the pregnancy seemed to go without any problems, until the very end.
My blood pressure was a little higher than desired, so I was taken off work two weeks prior to my due date. Then, when the due date arrived, my doctors and I opted for an induction. After twenty four hours my labor started. Thirteen hours later, 3:30 AM, the doctor entered my room to check on the progress. I had been pushing for four hours and still the baby had not made an appearance.
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Reconnecting with her grandfather and her love of being a caregiver...
"I just attended the Spirit of CareGiving® a week ago. I really enjoyed the experience. It gave me a chance to look inside myself and figure out what is important to me. I had various possibilities to choose from but chose to spend more time with my 90 year old grandfather, we call "Poppy". My "homework" Thursday night was to visit Poppy and tell him my plan about spending more one-on-one quality time together. I was leaving town on that Friday after the Spirit of CareGiving®, and very busy, but made the time to complete my "homework". THANK GOD I did because while I was out of town I received a call telling me Poppy had a massive heart attack and died on Monday. If I had not gone to see him that Thursday night I would not have been able to forgive myself. It was the last time I would ever see him."
JoAnn - Occupational Therapist
Looking deep inside and discovering that no one is a stranger...
"The Spirit of CareGiving® is a very different kind of class. It asked me who I was. It asked that I look inside myself and discover or more clearly focus on my sense of purpose. It asked that I identify the most basic parts of my psyche, my spirit, and then helped me to see the relationship of that spirit in a manner that allows me to positively contribute to and influence others both inside and outside of the workplace. Since attending the class, I have never again been able to look at anyone as a complete stranger because now I know that somewhere inside him or her, in some way they are the same as I."
Fred -Plant Operations Maintenance Manger
Regaining control in life and reclaiming the passion for being a caregiver...
Jennifer's choice was to regain control in her life, reclaim the passion for being a caregiver and to date has lost 177 lbs.
"I am a nurse who burned out long ago. I could no longer touch the patient's spirit because I could not even touch my own. I finally left the bedside thinking I could escape this missing piece of my nursing career. I hid behind a desk. I did my job very well. I was still a "nurse" but very removed. NO hands on career to provide. No face-to-face interaction. Easy to keep my emotions at bay. Easy to shut down."
"To open and plug in means to be present. To be present meant I had to feel. Feeling made me fearful. I was afraid of being rejected, afraid of being judged by my weight not by the person inside. I had shut down and completely unplugged from my life, from my family, and from my patients and co-workers. I was lonely and miserably depressed. I had no self-esteem and could not even look at myself in the mirror."
"Being a nurse and a caregiver, I have seen many patients become despondent or fearful and they had reached out to me needing my help. I could no longer help them, nor could I help myself."
"After the Spirit of CareGiving® class, I now realize that this is only my story. I had filled in the gaps and allowed fear to paralyze me and keep me from being present in my own life."
"Today I am present in the present, I am at choice always, and I am open to the possibilities."
Jennifer is a registered nurse
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