Grieving Ste-Anne

Last night, I dreampt about an aged veteran I treated.  He was dying, I woke feeling sad, feeling a loss...
In real life, his humanity had touched me during the brief time we spent together;exchanging on how to best meet his needs and goals at Ste-Anne's hospital.  He passed away and his room was soon  filled with a new resident .  Another aged veteran that would share with me his touching life story before leaving this world. Working in long term care force one to be sensitive and practice grieving more than most people. 
The dream and the feelings it evoked compelled me to call my coworkers at Ste-Anne's. I am thinking of you... A few days before  I left for India, I  gave in my letter of resignation; refusing the provincial offer.  After the Jan 1st deadline,  everyone wanted to know who was staying, who was leaving. Realizing that more than 50% of the rehab department employees would be gone after the April 1st transfer was hard to fathem.

photos taken from the web(http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/steannes-hospital/virtual-visit/scs

The fact that the place we had all spent most of our waking hours would no longer be the same was hard to accept.  For those who are committed to staying as well as for those who are leaving to an early retirement or to new professional challenges; the change and loss could not be avoided.  The mood was heavy and pensive.
This trip to India,  takes me away from the grieving and loss in body but it's still on my mind. I am dealing with it in my own way.  Honoring the people and veteran's that make working at Ste- Anne's a wonderful experience as well as looking towards the future for new opportunities to work with compassionate and caring people for courageous clients who's only hope is change. 
I can see that here at Amar Seva Sangham Ayikuty.  Donations and volunteers from all over the world coming together to empower those who are ''differently abled''. 

In the face loss, new opportunities arise, it is only our wish to keep things from changing that makes us suffer.  Change can be uncomfortable, adapting stretches us out of our comfort zone.  I am realizing that I don't want to get stuck in anger, denial, depression even though those feeling are very legitimate and normal.  I am moving towards accepting the enevitability of change and looking out at this wide world to embrace what ever comes next on my path. 

I leave you with this quote that has been displayed on my desk for over a year, reminding me.

“My storehouse having been burnt down, nothing obstructs my view of the bright moon.”

― Masahide

This is my new view of the moon.  It appears from the botton up, not right to left.