From the Notes of a Hospice Volunteer
Submitted by Christina Mereu
When we hear the personal life story of another, we have the opportunity to learn what it is we have in common with each other. We are reminded that while our challenges may seem uniquely our own, hardships are carried by all of humanity. When we listen to another we open ourselves. So it was with my attendance at a recent event featuring motivational speaker and author, Christine Dernederlanden.
As a local organization that provides at-home hospice care and grief support, Bruce Peninsula Hospice was excited to offer our community a fresh opportunity to be inspired. For many it was the first community gathering in a very long time. The hybrid model of participation brought together 40 in person and 60 by zoom. The feedback from participants was positive and appreciative.
Bruce Peninsula Hospice hosted Christine to tell her story… her lived experience with grief, trauma and the resultant unfolding of new opportunities that came her way. Some truths have been revealed these past years in particular. Covid has given all of us grief. Grief is real. Our grief is compounded, new loss layered over previous losses can immobilize us and send us inward, into a tail spin, to our dark rooms. It can cause us to feel confusion and a loss of confidence. We might isolate ourselves, and feel alone even when we are with others. With time, the support of a network, and access to resources, we can eventually rediscover ourselves again.
This award-winning speaker and author told of the power of lived experience to open us to new ways of thinking, new ways of seeing ourselves and of seeing the world around us. She spoke of the healing power of nature and gave us some fresh new ideas of how to further provide grief support in our community. Some attended the session newly bereaved while others were curious about forums to deepen and “normalize” our conversations about death and grief.
Christine’s story of grief is but one. Bruce Peninsula Hospice has witnessed the stories of so many in our community over the years, and we believe that everyone has a life story worth a listen. To offer care and attention to the small details and the particular needs of the dying, to be present with family members as they attend to their loved one, and to listen to the memories of the bereaved is the ongoing and profoundly rewarding work of hospice volunteers. This is my privilege.
I carry on… we carry on… together bound by the understanding that life is a wonder and our lived experiences are teachings for ourselves and for others.
You can contact Bruce Peninsula Hospice at info@bphospice.ca or 519-534-1260 x 5612 for more details about hospice and bereavement services or about becoming a volunteer.
