Wuesthoff Hospice & Palliative Care

When I meet someone in our community for the first time and they find out that I am a Hospice Chaplain, it is not unusual to hear them say, "That must be difficult work," or "I could never do what you do," or even "That sounds depressing."

Providing spiritual care for people and families dealing with life-limiting illnesses, however, is one of the great privileges of my life and ministry. It is a blessing to be able to walk alongside people on the final stretch of their life's pathway. I hope that I am able to give them as much as they give me in return.

They frequently remind me of the importance of my priorities in life. Hospice patients do not have time or energy to waste in unimportant pursuits. They focus on what really matters - making sense of life, being spiritually ready to die, living as fully as possible in the moment, enjoying the company of loved ones and finally saying goodbye to them.

What a lesson for each of us! I suspect all of us would be happier and wiser if we lived each day focusing on the people and values that are important to us and living in the light of spiritual realities.

Is working with the dying and their families difficult, unpleasant or depressing? Not a chance! Their gift to me is that they remind me how I should live my life. That is perhaps the greatest blessing that anyone can receive from another human being.

Sincerely,

A Wuesthoff Hospice Chaplain