Journal of Sacred Work

6 responses to “Days 287-289 – The Color of Beauty”

1. 

   ~liz Wessel

   October 16, 2009

   I have an opportunity to reach out to people daily who I will never meet but I can help heal just the same. Inevitably, when I hear the receptionist overhead page for “any manager to please pick up this call”…I respond to the caller in need. Although it is not my job, I want to support the managers because I realize they must all be busy when the receptionist overhead pages. Often I feel that I was meant to get the call because I can help. Yesterday, it was after 5:00pm, which meant the doctor’s office was closed. A gentleman called because his pregnant wife who was receiving hydration noticed a lot of blood in the IV line and they panicked. I was able to calm their fears, as there was no danger. He said the medicine to help her nausea seemed to wear off before the next dose was due and she was nauseous and vomiting. He mentioned their MD was at a funeral and unavailable. I talked him through the IV problem, he thanked me, and we ended the call. Then, I contacted the on-call doc who ordered the anti-nausea medication more frequently so this woman could get relief. Perhaps a small matter…but not to this woman who was suffering.
   I feel a warm glow of yellow sun when I can intervene to help someone in times of crisis, stress, and pain.

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2. 

   Victoria Facey

   October 16, 2009

   Oh, what a wonderful post today, to include the richness of the color that we bring to caregiving. We were talking at lunch today about a feng shui hairstylist who asked questions of the client to understand the type of haircut for them. One of the questions was, based on your characteristics, to describe what color you thought those expressions meant. I choose the color green, as I dream in earth-like tones and green represents the earth as continual growing grass, leaves, trees that reach everywhere.
   I am moved by the example of caregivers who step outside of their norms to help others. Liz Wessel is a prime example who, regardless of what’s on her plate, will extend herself to support others in times of need. Liz is very modest, but she offers assistance to so many during the course of the day. I often see her in the office, later playing catch up to her day’s duties.
   And, Liz paints! If anyone has seen her artwork, mandalas, paintings, personal greeting cards, they would know that she possesses the rainbow…

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3. 

   Julie Laverdiere

   October 17, 2009

   This is a very poignant reminder today, and we as caregivers must share our gift of healing in the midst of our day without reservation. The grace is there if we ask for it.
   I would like to see some of Liz’s artwork too! Can you send it to us sometime?

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4. 

   ~liz Wessel

   October 17, 2009

   Thanks for your generosity Victoria, but I feel my cheeks flushing crimson, as I do not wish to be the focus here, lest we miss the beauty of Erie’s message.
   A Rainbow: “Each band or level, being a particular manifestation of the spectrum, is what it is only by virtue of the other bands. The color blue is no less beautiful because it exists along side the other colors of a rainbow, and “blueness” itself depends upon the existence of the other colors, for if there were no color but blue, we would never be able to see it.” ~Ken Wilber

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5. 

   ~liz Wessel

   October 18, 2009

   The Buddha’s Last Instruction
   by ~Mary Oliver
   “Make of yourself a light”
   said the Buddha,
   before he died.
   I think of this every morning
   as the east begins
   to tear off its many clouds
   of darkness, to send up the first
   signal-a white fan
   streaked with pink and violet,
   even green.
   An old man, he lay down
   between two sala trees,
   and he might have said anything,
   knowing it was his final hour.
   The light burns upward,
   it thickens and settles over the fields.
   Around him, the villagers gathered
   and stretched forward to listen.
   Even before the sun itself
   hangs, disattached, in the blue air,
   I am touched everywhere
   by its ocean of yellow waves.
   No doubt he thought of everything
   that had happened in his difficult life.
   And then I feel the sun itself
   as it blazes over the hills,
   like a million flowers on fire-
   clearly I’m not needed,
   yet I feel myself turning
   into something of inexplicable value.
   Slowly, beneath the branches,
   he raised his head.
   He looked into the faces of that frightened crowd.

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6. 

   MFM

   October 18, 2009

   What a beautiful meditation Erie. The favorite part of my day has always been when I have the opportunity to speak with patients and make a difference in their life; whether it is counseling them on their needs, talking them through a problem or just giving them a caring ear to listen. For the last 2 years, I noticed my patient contact was declining with more and more managerial tasks taking over, my satisfaction was dwindling. Tomorrow I start a new job, and it is all patient related. I can’t wait to fell that rush, that satisfaction of knowing I have just eased someone’s burden or pain! For me, this is what it’s all about.

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