A Meditation on Helping Hands
My new column in Cancer Nursing Today
As most of you probably know, the Republicans in congress just passed the most cruel budget this country has, maybe, ever seen, at least in modern times. It includes incredible cuts to social programs that will leave low-income kids hungry, take health care away from literally millions of Americans, and add trillions (yes, trillions) of dollars to the national debt. All this misery to further enrich people who already have more money than they could ever actually use.
It is easy to feel despair about the Republicans’ heartlessness, and I have despaired at times. In my new column in Cancer Nursing Today, though, I do not express despair, but write instead about the importance of helping others in need. To be clear—I am not driven by a saccharine impulse to gloss over all the horrible things happening in the U.S. by pretending that kindness alone is enough to save us. It isn’t. But kindness, compassion, and responding to the needs of others is essential for reminding us that this struggle is about holding onto our democracy, yes, but also our humanity.
During Trump’s first term the question I repeatedly asked myself was, “Why are people so mean?” In Trump’s second term as President he has embraced clear and deliberate cruelty, and I increasingly find myself wondering if the actions of Trump and his minions reveal something deep and malevolent that’s just part of human nature. Feeling that way makes me uncomfortable and also frightens me. Writing about the power and importance of caring soothes my discomfort and alleviates my fear. It is possible to see injustice everywhere one looks these days. My hope is that, maybe, musing on kindness can make the injustice feel less overwhelming, even if only for a little while.
The column focuses in on nursing, but the point I make about helping others applies to all of us.
Nursing and the Power of a Helping Hand
In Cancer Nursing Today
I’ve been lucky enough to live in Spain for the past three months, and while I talk about nursing in this column, I need to set the stage in Spain first, so bear with me. This past weekend, my husband and I went for a hike at the Montserrat Monastery near Barcelona. You can see from the picture at left (and below) how stunning the monastery is, and my husband and I both marveled at why and how anyone would decide to build anything, much less the home for a religious community, in such a remote place.
We got to the monastery by cable car and hiked up to the mountain’s peak, called Saint Jerome. On our descent from the peak, we came upon a lone young woman sitting on the path looking at her feet and not moving. I asked her, in English, if she was okay. “Well, it’s so steep here,” she said, also in English, “I’m afraid of slipping, and I think the problem is my shoes. I don’t know how to get down.” The path down was very steep. It was cement, which made getting purchase hard, and it twisted vertiginously without any guardrails, exposing everyone on it to steep drops.
My husband and I are experienced hikers, so I told her, “We can help you”…
Returning to the U.S.
Arthur and I return to the United States at the start of June. Our time away, and all our travels, have been lovely, but I am ready to be home. I miss the kids, our friends, our kitchen, and of course, our dog Pickles. We have one last trip, to Bern, Switzerland to hang out with old friends who are expats there. I’m very excited to see them and am glad that enjoying friendship will fill our final days overseas. We’ll probably get in some great hikes in the Swiss Alps, too.
Hugs to all,
Theresa
For fun, a short video of the cable car we rode to and from Montserrat. Make sure to mute it if there’s sound. There is loud background noise that I couldn’t edit out.
Theresa, not sure, but I think it was The Christophers who popularized the saying, "Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness". Your column today certainly bolsters that wisdom, as well as underscoring how the workload in healthcare can often make that simple act of kindness difficult to accomplish. As to the House's recent legislation, I am holding out hope that the Senate will make adjustments to mitigate the more dreadful components of that bill. And as to your notion of a malevolent spirit, you're probably reading some of the room correctly, but I believe that many of our fellow citizens who support such draconian changes have not had the experiences with patients that we have had. If they did, perhaps they would be less likely to feel anger and resentment towards people on Medicaid; perhaps they could even see the tough circumstances many of those folks have to endure, and then hopefully feel empathy rather than scorn. I share a belief in accountability with our MAGA brethren, but an accountability tempered by compassion for the less fortunate among us...that's the America I grew up in, worked in for 40+ years, and still live in, because that is the country I love.
Safe travels home to you and Arthur.
As a hiker who has been helped by kind souls on more than one occasion (and who helps others too), I love that you helped this young woman. We need more of this—a helping hand, a listening ear, and a strong arm to lean on. I truly believe that there are more people like us than there are great big meanies. We just have to speak up more, as you have done beautifully here.
I already have some great hikes in mind for this weekend and can’t wait to see you!