Journal of Sacred Work

    At the center of Liz Wessel's gorgeous watercolor in the weekend Journal are the words, "Everything done with love is true."     A

    When you lead with love, lovely things happen.

    February 10, 1989, was an especially joyful day for caregivers at Riverside Methodist Hospital. The happiest place inside a hospital celebrates birth. On that winter day, the happiest place outside Riverside was the new on campus daycare center.

   You can see fun in the picture. You cannot see numerous innovations that made the center magical. Adjacent to the usual adult entrance, is, surprise, a little-kid-sized door for students! 

    No "Sick Room" there. Instead, the "Get Better Center."

   Taking care of the people who take care of people means seeing the workplace from the caregiver's, not the executive's standpoint. That is what Senior Vice President for HR Mark Evans, his associate Carole Stanley, and the rest of the team did.

   Thirty six years later, I remain so grateful for the thousands of things the HR team did under Mark's leadership by improving the work environment.

   Yes, that was a happiest opening I attended. It even got funny .  I asked 5-year old Hillary if she was excited by the opening.

   "Nope," she deadpanned.

   But her brother, 3-year old Andy, saved the day. He immediately picked up his plastic shovel and handed it to me. 

   Hillary and her brother are now 40 and 38. I bet they remember that place and its custom front door. And I bet their parents loved Riverside as a place that cared for its caregivers. 

-Erie Chapman