Hospice
volunteer work is not about death. It is about life. It is about the moment,
the hour, the time you spend serving. When I signed up to train as a volunteer,
I did not know if I could do it. Our society does not spend much time, money,
energy, or thought on our last days, thus my knowledge of the process was
minimal. Having trained and experienced firsthand the process, feelings, and
journeys of others’ ultimate passage has made me a much more thoughtful and wise
person. My experiences have made me a better husband, father, and friend. What
is really important has surfaced. My life has more value.
As
my life and schedule have changed during my volunteering, people ask me if I
plan to continue to volunteer, or if I have time to volunteer still. My answer
is that I cannot imagine not volunteering. It is a part of me. It is an
intricate part of my life--my spiritual nourishment. It is a great gift to me.
My greatest hesitance or fear is that I am getting more out of it than I am
giving.
Casa
de la Luz has clearly put so much into their organization, and that makes me
feel as I do about volunteering. The training is thorough, and the staff is
superb. The best part of my day is when I meet someone and share that I am a
volunteer at Casa de la Luz Hospice. There is usually a pause, a clarity in
their eyes, as if refocusing, and then the conversation continues almost on a
different level. They automatically know something about your heart and about
who you are. They know you are real.
By Luis E.
Perez, Volunteer
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