Each person has their own kind of wisdom. Hearing life lessons from the people I meet is one of the great benefits of this job.
Recently, I had a chance to visit with a retired nurse. She is a powerhouse of action. She may be retired from nursing, but not from life! She does foot care for the elderly in her congregation, volunteers as a program coordinator for the Lutheran Women’s Conferences in her area, and studies holistic approaches to healthcare.
She thinks a lot.
As we were talking, we moved to a conversation about some of the challenges of aging. Because of her ministry of foot care, she talks with a lot of folks who are on the far side of middle age.
“One thing I’ve decided, and I share with people, is that no one should feel or say that they ‘have’ a disease or problem. That means that you are stuck with it, care for it, carry it around, adapt to it. I tell people to think and say they are ‘experiencing’ the issue. Don’t say you ‘have’ cancer or diabetes. Say you are ‘experiencing’ cancer or diabetes…. Or whatever it is. If you ‘have’ something, it is yours to keep. If you are ‘experiencing’ it, that means that there may be a way to the other side of it. I prefer to think that there is a chance to get to the other side of almost any challenge.”
What a remarkable spirit it takes to approach life and its twists and turns with that perspective.
I am going to think about it as I write about the children at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. It is a very different thing to say that one of our kids “has suicidal thoughts” versus saying one of our kids “is experiencing suicidal thoughts”. I think the second is much more accurate. Their challenges are not who they are, they are part of what they are living through.
I don't know if this construct works with everything. I am pretty sure I have wrinkles. I am unfortunately not just experiencing them. But, for the most part, I think it is a way to stop, pause, and reframe.
Each person has their own kind of wisdom.
Please keep our children and staff at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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