Gifford Volunteer Chaplain Kathy Rohloff shares her personal reflections in this blog post. Kathy and all of our volunteer chaplains offer a nonsectarian presence. If you need someone to listen, and hear you with compassion, you can reach them by calling the Rev. Tim Eberhardt at 802-728-2107.
By Kathy Rohloff
Before I had my corneas transplanted the thing I missed the most was being able to see the rain fall. I could see the effects of the rain, but I no longer saw it falling.
This caused me to wonder how many times I have only seen the effect life has on others without ever knowing the reason why.
Since retiring, I have spent the last 3 ½ years donating time to volunteer activities. This has caused me to interact with multiple new folks as often as 3-5 times each week. The situations have ranged from stress filled to mundane and I have witnessed varied responses when trying to converse with them.
It is always a pleasure when I witness joy, peace, or kindness. This is beneficial to all even if there is no explanation given for the responses. But there are plenty of other instances where the responses are abrupt or filled with anger. Often some people may appear downcast or unable to make eye contact.
Who are they aside from those responses?
What circumstances or storms have they encountered that have made them this way?
Is today just a bad day or are they having a bad life?
If I take the time to know their name, to wish them a good day, and make an effort to remember them, I begin a relationship with them. This may a lot of effort on my part, but over time I get to know them better. Soon, my “idea” of who I think they are disappears.
Today I find that in 3 ½ years, I have a lot of new friends.
200 years ago this was written and attributed by some to John Wesley. It is a simple guide to live by.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you can.”
Get started. There are so many future friends out there.
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