I’ve never been the type who was altruistic or even thought about entering the medical profession – I’m just not that way. But when someone is in need, even a little bit, and they come within my radar, I suddenly feel like wiping the slate clean of anything I need and taking care of them against all odds. I’ve been in that mode the past few days – wanting to just do whatever it takes to make it alright and yet struggling with not being too terribly effective.
Sometimes you have to step back from the role of provider and just be, just be there for support, just be there to listen, but not move on the impulse to do, to provide. That is a hard lesson for me.