My Refuge

At night, the song of the frogs lulls me to sleep- they live in a nearby pond just a stones throw away from our home. I am awakened from my sleep by the birds singing sweet songs before the sun even rises.   Some of the birds are calling each other to wake from their sleep, from their nests high up in the trees. As I look out the window I see the early morning dew on the grass and smell the damp wet moss on the tree trunks.  I sit on the back deck that faces the forest with a hot cup of coffee in my hand; I look up at the trees.  There are so many different kinds of trees that I am not even sure I know all of the names!  There are Spruce trees and Pine trees, Cedar trees and others that are so tall they can almost touch the clouds. The white and fluffy clouds are so pure and welcoming.  They gently dance across the blue sky, reinventing themselves a thousand times over as they glide onward and eventually disappear.  The sky looks so high that I feel it reaches eternity -it is limitless and full of dreams.  All I have to do is reach up and touch them. 

I sit with my coffee; the sun shining and warming my body, taking in all of these sounds, sights and smells through all of my senses. I am fully present in this world; it appears to me, to be even fuller than the one I know while at the same time provides a sense of calm that seems simpler, perfect and pure.  My spirit is calm as I embrace it all through every one of my senses.  The wind rustling the leaves on the trees, the smell of the forest damp with living moss, the Spruce and Cedar trees fragrance the air.  The sound of the rushing stream holding the salmon that makes their yearly pilgrimage along the creek.  I sit as long as I possibly can so that I can soak in every ounce of this solace - this peace- before I have to return, back to my world.

This narrative is important to me for three reasons.  First, it reminds me of how important self -care is.  Particularly when working in a stress filled environment.  Caring for Self can be accomplished in many ways but for me, being present to nature and all it’s beauty has become an important part of renewing my spirit. 

The second reason I included this narrative is to highlight the importance of being fully present.  Just how powerful this can be through Narrative writing- to be “fully present” allows you to look deeper, fully experience and to listen and look for the unspoken words, understanding the interaction with all your senses.  This total attention will provide a fuller and deeper understanding of the event.  In health care this might be an interaction with a patient, a family, another healthcare professional.   Being fully present in the moment or writing about it after the fact will help you or others learn and gain a deeper understanding.

Finally, the third reason is that I noticed that just the act of writing about my experience, brought me back to my back yard. I was transported back to the feelings of the peace and the serenity, the sound of the birds singing and the leaves on the trees rustling in the wind. I could sense and gain the benefits of that experience despite it being a memory.  Narrative writing has such power and potential.  The potential and possibility of taking 5 minutes out of a busy day and writing about a peaceful event may actually trigger the memory and the person may even be able to gain the benefits, positive endorphins.  As if while writing about the experience, it is actually occurring.  Narrative writing and reflecting has a lot of power for healthcare providers and for patients.  If the current reality and experience can be altered, even for a few moments – then these are wonderful possibilities.