Christmas Spirit

Thinking of you my spiritual friends this holiday season,
Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to all of you!
I shared a picture of our Christmas tree with this post.
Hope Santa is not self-isolating this year due to Covid. Folks that track Santa said he is wearing a mask and is vaccinated against Covid so he is staying safe. Hopefully he’ll be around and bring some good tidings to all of us!
I love Christmas, it has been an integral part of my life. All my schooling was in Christian catholic schools. Ritualistically I have grown up with Christmas celebrations every year. Be it the Christmas tree, gift exchange, Christmas carols, Christmas dinner. In my household we make ourselves a big pitcher of sangria with luscious aged red wine, lots of fruit and a generous shot of grand mariner. I got a recipe from a friend. Pitcher of Sangria is the common theme in all our celebrations.
This morning I was working on Christmas Eve and one of my clients was Spanish. I had and Spanish interpreter on line as I was doing the appointment. Somewhere in the appointment, I heard the interpreter say too me “Miss, I want to say something to you.” “Sure go ahead.” I said. “I love your attitude and demeanor, the way you are working with your client.” “Oh, that is so nice of you to say that, you made my day today. Yes I love my work and I love being here. ” I got my Christmas gift, hey Santa’s is in town! Its Christmas, love is in the air! I thought to myself.
As a young child, we would have our teachers read biblical stories to us. One of the stories was about a leper and how Lord Jesus healed him by touching him. This story touched my soul and it became the inspiration for the kind of healthcare provider, I wanted to be. I always wanted to be this health care provider, who would have this magical healing touch like Lord Jesus. As I grew older, I was able to better understand, what this magical touch was about. As I reflected on this, it stood out to me clear and bold that it was the compassion in the touch, which was the healing element. Any action supported by compassion acquires this magical touch and becomes successful in achieving its goal. So when my clients can feel that magic in my work I feel I have achieved what I set out to achieve. It makes me immensely happy.
Many years ago I was doing my clinic and as I went out to fetch my next client, I saw that she had a flat affect and when she responded to the greeting her speech was slurred. I brought her into my office and offered her a seat. I realized that she was specially able and had some mental and physical challenges. She had no insurance and I explained to her the system and how it works. I told her midwifery care was free for her but she will have to bear the hospital expenses. At this she said that she had no money to the pay the hospital expenses and so she had no moral right to accept care. I tried to explain to her that maybe she could work around it or look into options to help her. But she stood firm in her honesty that until she had money she would not accept care. I could not teach her to be dishonest and become a defaulter. I knew her chances of finding care in this situation was next to impossible. That means she would have unattended birth and put herself and baby at risk.
I sat there helpless, dying to help her. I was just so impressed by her honesty. Most often I come across women who work the system to their advantage and get help even if they are not eligible for it. Here was someone, who was really needy and yet did not give up being honest. Honesty is one of the qualities that I hold close to my heart. I like to be honest and expect the same from others. So she left without getting care. This made me very uncomfortable, someone was returning empty handed from my doorstep and that too such an honest person. She was totally untouched by the selfishness that results from a conditioned existence. So I talked to my team partner also a very senior midwife and very compassionate. She said I will talk to her. She returned to care after talking to my partner. She had a beautiful baby and did well. It made me so happy to have her back. I never asked her about her payment plan, I just let my partner and the hospital handle that. It was a difficult call, what to pick compassion or truthfulness……………
“Dear mother divine this Christmas, please let all your children learn this secret of magical healing through compassion.”