This is a painting I did for the nurses surrounded by the bags with encouraging verses and the gloves for chemo patients. The rest are the medical supplies there in the treatment center.
Lately I’ve realized that things which interest me most deal with the head, heart, hands and feet. Creativity, for example, does involve our head, our thinking. In the best cases, however, our creative efforts stem from and touch our hearts (and those of others) as well. Art, craft or the act of making usually requires using our hands. And travel – the simple movement from one point to another – utilizes our feet. Head, heart, hands and feet; all can be used for our own sakes. But they can also be employed to help other people.
I’ve long wrestled with this notion of using the things I love for others. It’s much easier to think about volunteering in areas of great need – homeless shelters, food banks, retirement homes, neighborhood clean-ups, mentoring, etc. – than in areas of great passion. But what if you could do both: help others and live from the place of your greatest joy?
Sometimes we find answers to such questions in the oddest places. I found my answer in a chemotherapy treatment center.
No one goes to such places for fun. In my case, it was to accompany my wife who has had to undergo both chemotherapy and radiation treatments this year due to breast cancer. She’s almost done with the year-long process and we’re incredibly grateful all has turned out well.
Yet in the midst of this, I got to know other patients going through chemotherapy. Out of that sprang the idea to create small presents – Chemo Gifts – to encourage those still in the midst of what can be quite brutal therapy. You can read about these Chemo Gifts here.
Creating these Chemo Gifts would have seemed borderline useless had we not just gone through chemo ourselves (and yes, while my wife took the brunt of it, it is a joint effort) and realized how meaningful small acts can be when life is stripped to its essentials. So I encourage you to read about my response but most of all, think about your own.
What do you love to do? How could you leverage that to help others?
These aren’t hard questions. But they are ones we often put off and never address. As we come out of Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to reflect on all we’re thankful for. It’s great to count our blessings. But even more meaningful is to be a blessing to others.
So take a minute or two and ask yourself, “What could I do? Who could I help?”
You might be amazed at what happens when you apply what brings you delight to what others need.
