Pastor Larson’s Corner: The caregivers
Pastor Larson recently had a knee replacement surgery. For the next few weeks he will share some thoughts and reflections on this experience.
During my recent knee surgery I was cared for by at least a hundred different caregivers. There were doctors, nurses, therapists, nurses’ aides, housekeepers, and the list goes on and on. Without exception these people carried out their tasks with professionalism and a warm and loving spirit. What surprised me most was their interest in me as a person. You didn’t have to spend much time with one of these caregivers before they were asking all about you.
My lead therapist at the rehab center, where I spent 10 days, was a young intern with whom I spent a lot of time. One day when we were out for a walk around the grounds she asked me if I felt good about the life I had chosen. She wanted to know if I was happy about having chosen to be a pastor. She seemed a bit surprised when I told her that I couldn’t imagine having a better, more fulfilling life than I have had. Perhaps our conversation helped her realize she had made the right decision to give her life to helping others heal and recover from physical challenges.
The fact that so many talented and gifted people choose to give their lives to care for the sick continues to amaze me. They could easily find jobs that take much less preparation and are much more lucrative. Nevertheless, they decide to devote their lives to caring for others. During my recovery I experienced firsthand the love and dedication of these caregivers. Their good work helped me find healing in each new day. It also renewed my faith in the many young people of our country who are choosing health care as their life work. For me, they represent a group of people in our culture who have decided to take Jesus’s words to heart when He said, “In as much as you did it unto the least of these, you did it unto me.”
Pastor Larson’s Corner is written by Jerry Larson and appears weekly in the Norwegian American Weekly.
Pastor Jerry Larson retired to his cabin in Zimmerman, Minn., after 39 years in parish ministry for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 2011 he published a book entitled “Speaking the Word Freely: Writing with purpose, preaching with power.” Contact him at jerlarson@visi.com
This article originally appeared in the Nov. 6, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
