Oh Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me!
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me!
Care, the Source of All Cure
~Henri Nouwen
Care is something other than cure. Cure means "change." A doctor, a lawyer, a minister, a social worker-they all want to use their professional skills to bring about changes in people's lives. They get paid for whatever kind of cure they can bring about. But cure, desirable as it may be, can easily become violent, manipulative, and even destructive if it does not grow out of care. Care is being with, crying out with, suffering with, and feeling with. Care is compassion. It is claiming the truth that the other person is my brother or sister, human, mortal, vulnerable, like I am.
When care is our first concern, cure can be received as a gift. Often we are not able to cure, but we are always able to care. To care is to be human. ~Henri Nouwen
At the ripe old age of five years old, I new my calling was to be an Artist and a Nurse. I completed my nursing education right out of high school and when my children were adolescents I went back to collage for my degree in studio arts and behavioral medicine. At last I am satisfying both passions at Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Fl. were I do art interventions at the bedside with patients and do art workshops for the health care team.
As an Artist and Nurse, each profession requires creativity. Encouraging creative expression follows the teachings of Nightingale and the Caring Theory of Jean Watson. Research shows us that creativity has a positive effect on our immune system and can improve our health. Sharing this with others from both professional capacities is my heart’s desire. ~Patty Magee’s Story, May 19, 2011
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” ~Luke 6:31 ESV
No comments:
Post a Comment