This I Believe

I believe in putting people back together.

I believe that life happens, that sometimes we do it to ourselves and sometimes other people do it to us and sometimes it looks like an act of God but however it happens, things fall apart and someone has to pick up the pieces and put them back together in as close an approximation of their original form as possible.

I believe that the mother who may or may not have hurt her baby in a fit of rage or exhaustion should still get to spend as long as long holding, cuddling and crying over the baby’s body as she needs to. I believe that the addict who came in with heroin in her sock still needs antibiotics and fluids to treat the pneumonia that she’s battling. I believe that the girl who’s still drunk who has a laceration on her scalp from a fight that she may or may not have started needs a CT and someone to clean the blood out of her hair. I believe that the man who calls me “baby girl” with a leer while being held down on the stretcher with his hands cuffed behind his back while I get the restraints out, needs time to sober up and a chance to talk to the social worker.

I believe that the 19 weeks pregnant mother who’s bleeding and who is not going to be pregnant for much longer needs someone to hold her hand. Even if she’s 17. Even if she’s the one who decided not to be pregnant anymore.

I believe that sometimes the one thing a person is asking for is the last thing they need.

I believe that failure to plan on your part sometimes does constitute an emergency on my part.

I believe that the 85 year old man, whose 83 year old wife is getting confused, who is facing the new reality that he may not be able to care for her any more needs to hear his options and needs someone to tell him how sorry they are, if nothing else.

I believe that all the planning in the world can’t prepare you for everything.

I believe that a broken tibia is not the end of the world but that it may feel like it is.

I believe that being all the king’s horses and all the king’s men and trying to put together every Humpty Dumpty that walks through the door sometimes helps put together your own personal Humpty Dumpty parts of life.

I believe in tough love, and soft love, in holding it together and letting it fall apart. I believe in doing the best you can in a tough situation and I believe that sometimes that requires help.

I am honored to be that help.