Soul View

Most everyone knows life isn’t always comforting. It can be challenging, and sometimes events occur to accentuate that. When that happens, we end up in places we might not be. Emergency rooms and intensive care units in hospitals come quickly to mind.

Medical centres were never designed to be welcoming destinations for vacationers, tourists, party seekers, and day travellers. They don’t have to be. Let’s face it; folks don’t seek out hospitals for food, drink, and entertainment, although some do end up in one after a long night of such frolicking. People go to a medical facility because they are running low on alternatives, or they are brought there because they are in no condition to move on their own. If they could, they probably would start running in the opposite direction when they sensed that antiseptic smell.

As distressing as these facilities can be, hospitals are usually always busy. Not everyone runs away, even those that are capable of doing so. Most incoming patients and their family members do not savour the need to be present, but others walk the halls of health providers and remain there by choice. They stand readily available to assist, not out of need but out of some desire to help. They are incredibly caring individuals who choose to offer their services, and many do so on a volunteer basis.

I give these people monumental credit. They choose to serve in a place where broken bones, illness, blood, and vomit are commonplace. If it were me, I’d much rather help out at a candy store or an ice cream parlour. I like it when sugar is commonplace. The volunteers I see, however, don’t need such a sweet incentive. These people are not even being compensated in money, let alone sweet, decadent treasures.