And the rains came

 

This little Noah's ark puzzle was fun and appropriate for November. A series of wet storms out in the Pacific Ocean are headed our way for the next week. But the house is warm, cozy and clean. We are well and truly holed up, with everything we need.

John also finished his much more challenging 1,000 piece puzzle and I put them both away. It's restful seeing the dining room table empty for a change, and we're taking a break from puzzling until Thanksgiving or so. 

Anyway, I need to focus attention on other things for a while. I was recently accepted into the volunteer program at Franciscan Hospice and Palliative Care.  The application process was fairly involved. For obvious reasons, volunteers must be carefully screened with background checks and references. Many thanks to my dear friends N. and J. for your help.

Anyway, what initially caught my interest was the Franciscan "life history" program, in which volunteers listen to and record patient stories. 

Why hospice, when I've always avoided anything remotely medical? Well, it just sounded like it might be a good fit. I've always been interested in oral histories and preserving personal history. And what a worthwhile thing, for both patients and their families.

Volunteers are an essential part of hospice, and provide all sorts of services to families and patients. I don't really know what I'll eventually be doing. Or when. Unfortunately, in person volunteer visits are on hold because of the pandemic. 

In the meantime, I can start the training. The first step is completing a 30-hour online program by Teaching Transitions called "Doing Death Differently." At completion you receive a CEOLS (Certified End of Life Specialist) certificate. I have to admit, just the thought of being certified in death is a bit overwhelming!

The on-line course so far is interesting but intense.  Many people claim it is life changing, whether you decide to do hospice work or not. They encourage you complete the course quickly, rather than dabble in and out. There are 10 modules and my goal is to do one each day.  I'll keep you posted. This is all about the journey, not the destination.

 The spiral is a frequently used symbol of hospice:

"It represents the cycle of life; birth, growth, death, and re-incarnation. Spiritually the spiral represents a connectivity with the divine, spiraling from the outer ego (the outside world) into the inner soul (cosmic awareness and enlightenment). The spiral represents evolution and growth of the spirit."