Nurse Wisdom from the ICU at OHSU (April 12, 2019)

Rev. Dr. Steven Koski

“Steven, you have to stop reacting to every alarm, every beep, every number and every test. Try your best not to judge and evaluate every moment. Take the long view. Hold everything lightly. Healing doesn’t happen moment by moment. It’s a journey. Healing looks and feels different at every stage. Try to be patient. Instead of the beeps and alarms causing you distress, let them be an invitation to return to your heart, your center. Express gratitude remembering the beeps are part of the amazing medical technology helping your loved one to heal.”
How might today be different if I chose not to label everything as good or bad and just let it be? How might my energy shift today if I chose to work with this day instead of against it?
An ancient story – Long ago a farmer had only one horse. One day his horse ran away. His neighbors said, “I’m so sorry. This is such bad news. You must be so upset.”
The farmer just said, “We’ll see.”
A few days later. His horse came back with twenty wild horses following. His neighbors said, “Congratulations! This is such good news! You must be so happy!”
The farmer said, “We’ll see.”
One of the wild horses kicked the farmers only son breaking both his legs. His neighbors said, “I’m so sorry. This is such bad news. You must be so upset.”
The farmer said, “We’ll see.”
The country went to war and every able-bodied young man was drafted to fight. The war was terrible and killed every young man, but the farmer’s son was spared since his broken legs prevented him from being drafted. His neighbor’s said, “Congratulations! This is such good news. You must be so happy.”
The farmer simply said, “We’ll see.” And, on it went.
Today, I am going to resist reacting to every bell, alarm and number. I will practice the WHATEVER PRAYER today-
“Whatever I have to see,
Whatever I have to feel,
Whatever I have to remember,
Whatever I have to go through,
If it is for my well-being, and in the highest good of all beings,
I agree to it.”