Oh June. It feels at times like it took sooooooooo long to get here, then in other ways it simply appeared with no warning. So many goals in June and so many new adventures….so what will I be doing? I’ll be spending most of it caring for babies in an orphanage and working with children in hospice care! I don’t yet know how many children I’ll be working with, what their conditions are or what their needs will be, I do know it is most certainly going to stretch me emotionally, physically and spiritually. I am sure there will be nights of tears, questioning and sadness but I also know, that if anyone deserves someone to stretch themselves in order to care for them, it is a child with no one, a child in an orphanage, a child who is sick, very possibly in pain with no person to call their own. Someone said to me once, why focus on the dying they’ll be dead soon anyways? To me, if a child can’t have some one to rock them for their last few weeks, days, hours, minutes, sing to them, comfort them and love them, then what does that say about our society or our human race? What does it say about our hearts? Will it be hard for me, absolutely, but that is not an excuse not to do something…
Helen Keller said “The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse“
I hope to blog through it all, I am sure there will be days when it feels all together too much, where the only thing I can do is be silent here and cry privately, but I hope to at least share some of the emotions I feel; I am not quite sure how you prepare for what lies ahead and I’m sure the blog over the coming weeks will share some of those emotions. My blog will, as always be real, but sensitive to the needs of those around me, I will share my story but not their story!
So what are my other plans and goals, in truth this is a busy month! I need to
- Tie up any loose ends with work
- Go for my 2nd interview for a possible promotion (I’ll find out if I get it the day I fly!)
- Spend the first week in June completely taking care of my body in order to be ready for the trip – this means exercising daily (hopefully swimming, the gym and walking), eating right, cutting out any sugar, sleeping at least 7.5 hours a night
- Continue with my volunteering 3.5 hours each week walking dogs and socializing cats, making any notes and planning any cover for my time away
- Setting up my co-op posts to post while I’m away
- Getting at least 7 posts (mostly financial and budget) set to publish during my time away
- A final Dr’s appointment
- Getting health insurance for the trip
- Visiting my niece again
- Paying any bills due while I’m away
- Collecting and packaging donations
- Packing – including food for my stay – right now I’m thinking about taking loads of organic fruit/veg pureed baby food, protein bars, dried fruits, nuts and buy water bottles there.
Whew!
What are your plans for June?
I love that quote! Can’t wait to read more, I have no doubt you will handle it well!
Oooh I am so excited for you! I wish I was coming too!!
Please do let me know if you need anything (you have my email/phone number) or if you are planning to take things with you I would love to send something small (if you have space in your carry-on
Also: I have a friend I mentioned this to he is curious whereabouts you will be working (you can email me for privacy’s sake) because he wonders if he knows people in common… xx
got to hand it to you – you are totally doing what you believe in whole heartedly and fully. You got to be proud of yourself for that. I am sure you will manage. am sure you will be a star
I am so happy for you and proud of you. I think the problem is that people can’t imagine if it was them or their child, they’d prefer to see people as them instead of us, so even people with children can be incredibly cold towards other children in sad situations.
I think a lot of people are just selfish, they can’t imagine giving to others if it requires giving of themselves. I am amazed at the number of people I know who don’t give to charitable organisations, don’t volunteer and have no plans to ever give something without a financial reward to themselves. It is very sad but they don’t even see it!
The time with the children will be very difficult but you are so correct. These little people do need what you can give. I am so very proud of you. I used to work with disabled children and then moved onto geriatric care. To be with those near the end of their time on earth is a privelege and an honour. I wish you well.
Never stop being such an inspirational person x
It is wonderful how your plans are finally working out. (PS My daughter also has work now too Yeay!!) I always belive that ‘ as long as you are alive you need to keep living’ and should be treated as a living being for all that time too (as in continuing with as near to a normal life as you can). I think that goes for oldies the same as it goes for younger people, and why not babies as well. Life is not meant to be short for any of us. God’s original purpose was for mankind to live forever so even an eighty year old is not living enough. But we should show great respect for it as long as we have it. Good on you and hope you get everything on your list done. Cherrie
Cherrie those are great points, thank you!!
I’ve just found your blog recently and have enjoyed reading it. But only today it clicked that your idea of goals for the month is something I could adopt for myself. A week is too short and a year is too long, and so neither get done. A month, I can work with that! Thank you for your inspiration. Hope you have a ripper holiday. I’m not a summer person, soooo glad it’s now winter here! (it was on average 40.c a few months back and now it’s down to 5.c over night!!! brrr)
I’m glad to hear one of your dreams is coming true. I can’t believe that someone would say something so horrible about the fact that someone is dying anyway, thank goodness for people like yourself who can give of themselves so generously to help people in need!
Well done you
Cheers
Judy
Sorry I didn’t see that you are going to be in a hospice for your holidays, not a holiday holiday. I still hope it’s a great holiday that God can use for Good. Be Jesus for those children, if only for a few hours. God Bless.
Not a problem Larissa! Thank you so much for the encouragement!
Thank you all for your wonderful encouragement and support!
God bless you for your kind heart. xox
Your good deeds and thoughts that you share with all of us help so many of us continue to focus on being good people.
I think it is great you are going to volunteer like you are. This is very much needed and I know God will bless you for it. What I can’t get over is how your very new work place was okay with you going away when you just started a job. Did it pose any issues or did you simply tell them in your interview that this was a pre-planned potential commitment?
In the UK we get about 5 weeks annual leave/vacation a year, my employer is actually more generous than that. Upon acceptance of a job you can always say what your holiday plans are – generally people take about 3 weeks off in the summer, so this was actually no different
Thanks for your kind words!
FT, I’m very inspired by the way you think for others and volunteer. I used to volunteer before and have long stopped doing it. But now after I started reading your blog, something in me is changing and I’ve been looking for volunteer opportunities nearby. Thank you for the inspiration! I’d love to do some one on one tutoring for school going kids. We’ll be moving in a couple of months and I hope I can start doing this when school starts in September.
Just dropping by to wish you well xx
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Ah, right. How grand you have so many weeks off. I did remember hearing about this before and being envious of time off in UK. In Canada some people only get 2 weeks and some get none at all and most places would be funny about one going off right after starting a new job. I envy that
Wow.
I wish you all the best, FT! I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job! And I have no doubt you’ll teach us so much through your blogs during this experience.
Why focus on the dying ? Well , we only have one chance to get that right…
Palliative care can be very draining but can also be one of the most rewarding areas of work . Wishing you well in your trip – look after yourself too ! x
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