Journal of Sacred Work

Caregivers have superpowers! Radical Loving Care illuminates the divine truth that caregiving is not just a job. It is Sacred Work.

About

Former President & CEO of multiple hospital systems and founding president & CEO of 20-hospital OhioHealth, best selling author, film artist, ordained minister, composer, published poet, syndicated T.V. host, trial attorney, federal prosecutor and Municipal Court Judge. Erie is internationally known as the founder of the Radical Loving Care(R)movement. He also heads Erie Chapman Foundation, Dane Dakota Productions, LLC, and Chapman Health International, Inc.

About

A New Garden

December 3, 2007

"Not to be on to something is to be in despair." -Walker Percy, The Moviegoer

From 1997 to 2001 I regularly sought the support and counsel of what is referred to by some as a spiritual adviser. This gifted woman helped guide me through several difficult changes in my life. Through that period, the one thing she always told me was that I was, at heart, an artist. In 1997, I was temporarily out of a job. Not being "onto something," I began to experience despair.
What she said about my artistic temperament felt true to me. But I have never found the courage to live as the artist I supposedly am. The truth is, I’m afraid to live that life. I fear I’m not good enough, or that I would be unable to support my family. But there is also another, more positive reason that has nothing to do with fear. I love charity work. Through healthcare, you and have the chance to support a life ideal that may matters as much as anything…

"Live Love, not fear." This idea touches the most important subject I know. Of course, the idea of Love is ancient. But I feel glad to be one of the spokespeople for a Love that appears only randomly in the places where it is needed most – hospitals and charities.
I’ve spent lots of time trying to figure out how to create a model of thinking and living that would help advance loving care. There are so many self-help books that have "Seven" somewhere in the title. There are Seven Habits, Seven Steps, Seven Keys, Seven Ways to this or that. The experts say that seven has a certain magic to it. Perhaps they’re right. Still, I haven’t yet found anyone who can convincingly tell me their lives were meaningfully advanced by following seven of anything.
What I do know is that many people swear by the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Generally, many people seeking meaningful life change seem attracted to the structure of step programs.
I’ve been thinking about the work of loving care in terms of seven seeds. The hard practice of love seems so much to me like the planting, nurturing, protecting, and replanting, of a garden. The art of living love calls for relationship and partnership as well as seven-step structure.
Over these next few weeks, I hope the loving community that comments at this site will join with me in planting a new Garden of Loving Care. The first discipline of the work is that we will have to plant and grow this garden with only seven seeds.
I know each participant will experience at least one thing from this effort: new growth. For it is the teachers who always learn the most and we will be teaching each other. I look forward to reading your thoughts as we begin to grow this Garden of Loving Care.

-Erie Chapman

Posted in Meditations

6 responses to “A New Garden”

Tom Knowles-Bagwell

December 3, 2007

This sounds like an interesting idea, Erie. I’m very curious to see how it unfolds.

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Karen York

December 3, 2007

I am learning that being an artist isn’t an either/or type of thing. Each one of us holds artistic capacity. Obviously some have greater capacity than others. It seems to me that you have been living your artist’s life in the midst of your charity work. Through your pictures, art, music, poetry, books, videos and many other gifts, your artistry has enhanced the work of loving caregiving. Without the artist in you, it would just be another “Step method” that is forgotten when the next one comes along. The gift of love brings out the beauty and artistry in each of us if we choose that adventure and makes a more meaningful encounter for all of us.

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Lorilee Amlie

December 3, 2007

I would enjoy being part of this Garden of Loving Care. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but I will try. I see this journal as a part of growth for me already and welcome more to come.

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Edwin Loftin

December 3, 2007

Several of the essential parts of planting the Garden of Loving Care have been and are being done very well. I learned, growning up on a farm and taught in scripture, that the best seed has no chance of sustained growth if the soil is not chosen well and prepared correctly. To that end this community and those healing care providers are the “loom rich black soil” that will be the foundation of strong garden plants. In addition the work that has been done over the past several years is equal to the cultivation, removal of obvious weeds, and setting of the rows that create the essential preperation for the actual planting. I as all here are ready with hoe and spade in hand.

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Gay Lindsey

December 3, 2007

Maybe all we really need are three seeds; compassion, respect, and humility. It is the garden spot we encounter that may need our attention as farmers. Have we allowed the soil around us to lay barren too long without nourishment.

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liz Wessel

December 3, 2007

I admire your candor and honest expression of feelings. I wholeheartedly concur with Karen. I believe you are an artist of Loving care. Before entering college, I had dreams of majoring in art. My father highly discouraged me (as did his father with him) because he thought I should have a secure career. I have never regretted choosing nursing. I love that I can integrate creative expressions of love through art in my work as well. Thank you for this loving invitation, Erie. I am looking forward to participating in growing our 7 seeds and I hope others will risk joining in this worthwhile process. Ah, a new adventure!

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