The Significance in Ordinary Moments

Several months ago I found myself preparing for the monthly reflection I do to begin our Monday morning meetings at work. It was a Sunday night (yes, the evening right before my reflection....once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator) and my inspiration for my reflection came from spending the afternoon sorting through boxes with my family. After deciding on my reflection I sent an e-mail to my family to share it with them. Will told me the e-mail was great blog material, so I found it fitting to make it my first. :)

Several of the reflections prior to mine were about the clinical value/significance of encouraging life review with our patients/families, ways to engage in life review, and the importance of truly listening. The reflection I prepared was simply sharing the story of how a simple afternoon sorting through boxes reminded me of the importance of personal life review, and how the work I do in hospice helps me to appreciate the value in these moments with family (and how much I learn about my life in the work I do in hospice).

On this particular Sunday, my family gathered at my sister and brother-in-law's house (Marcie and Kevin) to celebrate Kevin's birthday over lunch. My Mom and Dad arrived, each in their own car, both stuffed FULL of boxes. No matter how much of an adult I have become, both in age and maturity (I suppose...), I'm still very good at the childish groan I make when I'm told I need to do something I don't want to. :)

For those of you who haven't heard the news and who may be wondering the need for sorting through mounds of boxes, my parents are preparing to move to Canada in January (Click here for further info) so are now getting rid of the things collected from over 30 years of marriage, 3 children, and sharing life together.

So, throughout the afternoon that day, both before and after lunch, we spent time digging through boxes of "stuff" from the past: photographs, awards, yearbooks, high school love notes, etc. In that time, stories were retold, memories were recalled, and we shared some of our own 'life review.'

One thing that struck me that day was how when things were in my box that belonged to Marcie or Josh (my sister and brother), I was so ready to just toss it out on their behalf, as the stuff wasn't THAT important, right? Yet, before I'd make it from my hand to the trash bag, my Mom was quick to stop me, saying, "Let them look at it first, then let them throw it away." As even in the drudgery of going through old boxes, there is certainly value in the process.

So, amidst the change we are preparing for in our family, knowing that our birthdays and traditions will likely be celebrated/recognized in a new way over the next several years due to distance, what a nice afternoon it was for reflecting on our story--and what a good one it is at that.

Most people, when they learn of my work in hospice, wonder how it is that I am able to do the work I do. But it is through that work that I recognize the things most valuable to me in my life and the ability to recognize/appreciate the significance of life's most ordinary moments.