Burden for the hurting.

I enjoyed my Christmas break on the farm with my family. It was a well needed rest for us all and a time spent together reconnecting. I am forever grateful to God for the gift of family. We had many activities that brought together various family members and I can tell of the love we all shared together. The lazy mornings and the late nights, the various escapades are what made it all more exciting for us. All this brought to the fore the importance of family and reaffirmed to me the important things in life.

Just at the close of my break I was taken ill and needed to see a Doctor. I decided to visit a local health clinic in the company of my hubby. When we got to the hospital, we were met by loud wailing. Immediately I got concerned and while at the waiting room I saw her.She stood crying all alone. I decided to ask some ladies what the issue was. It was then that I learnt that she had just lost her new born baby.

I could not believe it. This young lady was all alone unattended and yet she had just lost a child! Even the nurses seemed lost for what to do. I spoke to the two ladies at the waiting room to help console her. Reluctant on what to do at first but they soon joined me. She was in a terrible state. She kept wailing and the questions she asked were endless. It was her firstborn she had just lost, she said.

In between holding her and trying to get her from the room where the baby lay was a tear jerking experience. The two ladies turned out very helpful and together we shared her pain. I realised that we all have a huge capacity of caring but most of the time we do not utilise it. Slowly the crying came down and she started talking to us.

It eventually turned out that she had lost the baby on the way to hospital thus there was nothing the Doctors could have done. But I still feel that they might have cared for her in a better way. It hurt me so much hearing her wailing and yet knowing that all I could do was be there for her.

Only when her folks came and together they left to take the baby to the morgue did I remember my pain. Grief counselling is essential for anyone that suffers lose. In most hospitals there is not enough of this offered and patients are left to deal with the pain on their own or with relatives. I believe that we can do better in caring for the hurting among us.

It is the capacity to care for each other that makes us human. Life is indeed more bearable to us if we make time for each other and if we realise the importance of being there when we are needed. For this, is something that even money cannot buy. Compassion.