Is This Our Greatest Power?

I want to thank anyone and everyone who was given to lean their hearts and thoughts our (Monica, Uriah, and myself) way over the past few days. I am deeply honoured and humbled. Thank you so much.

The truth is that I am quite in awe of the 'power of caring' that we carry within us as human-beings. A power that we can cultivate and intensify, that we can encourage and amplify (or, conversely, a power that we can neglect and allow to atrophy). I am so amazed by the generosity exhibited by the Doctors and Nurses at both Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord as well as Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Doctor MacKay of the Women's Clinic in Traverse City gets a special nod. He really came through for us at 'crunch time' (and you know when someone comes through in the clutch when you can see the initial look of concern on their face when you first meet them, as well as how they inform you as to their lack of certainty in terms of the outcome--in other words, he was not sure of what would happen with us, but made the noblest effort anyways).

It is that sincere and genuine caring for the welfare of another that has so deely struck me. I suspect that all of the intellectual knowledge and academic scholarship--as well as the technique of modern medicine--is fairly impotent without the engine of caring behind it. It is just something that you can feel. Monica and I spoke of this frequently over the past few days. You can literally feel someone else's warmth towards you (or lack thereof!). Each of the nurses exhibited a varying degree of this warmth and caring. It was not something evident in their skill as a nurse (they can all set up a monitor to check the unborn child's heartrate; they can all check your vitals) as much as it is that which is exhibited in the character of their person, i.e., in the 'how?' of the 'what?'

I suppose it came across to Monica and I like this: it is not in 'what?' the nurses and doctors did for us, but in 'How?' they did it. How did they express their knowledge and understanding of what was needed? How did they (or did they not) exhibit the fact that they cared deeply about the 3 of us? That is where the power was... and is! That is where it is felt... sensed... perceived. Not in the cold instruments of their trade, but in the tenderness of their application at just the right time, in just the right way, for just the right reasons.

Not just skill then.... but the vibe wherein the skill is demonstrated. The Heart creates an atmosphere of warmth and healing energy that no naked instrument used in a cold and calculating manner--no matter how technically exacting--can ever duplicate or approach.

The power is in the Heart.
The precision is in the skill.
Together you have
A True Healing Force.