Cherish Every Moment

As a volunteer for Tidewell Hospice, I run across many people from different strata of life—from the Jamaican man I was first paired up with to the retired dermatologist I was recently matched with. Each has been on a different journey through their respective lives and experiences. And not all the people I have encountered, especially at the Bradenton Hospice House, have run through what we tend to think of as a full course of life. I have encountered many people of all ages—from two teenaged twin boys at the “House” (one of whom passed away) to those well-advanced in age.

One person, who probably represents the best learning experience I have ever had, was a hospice patient I knew for less than a week. She was a childless widow who lived alone about a block from my house. She had a woman who cleaned her house, drove her to appointments and grocery shopping, and the like. Well, this person had a death in her family, so I was contacted to see if I could take her to the beauty shop one day and to the doctor the next. No problem. On Thursday I took her to her standing hair appointment and did some grocery shopping while she was in the chair. Next day I took her to see her doctor. On Sunday she called to ask if I’d take her trash and recyclables to the curb, as they were much too heavy for her to move. No problem, so I went up to her house and took care of things. She wanted to pay me, but I flatly refused, saying that the only payment I needed was a hug from her. She obliged and I went home. Later that evening, she had a massive stroke and was taken to the hospital where she passed away on Wednesday. It later struck me that that hug we shared was probably the last meaningful contact she ever experienced with another human being.

We never know when fate will catch up with us or the ones we love. The last thing we ever want to do is to burn bridges, never to rebuild them. Having such unfinished business is something none of us wants to leave behind, either when we leave this life or lose someone close (or not so close, for that matter) to us. Cherish each moment; keep the door open; and above all, love and respect all with whom we come in contact. We never know when that final encounter will come.