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May 2023
Making a Meaningful Life
"Farq Hai" is a poem by Dr. Satinder Sartaj and in this thought- provoking piece, Sartaj explores the difference between talking about doing good and actually being good. The English translation of the full poem is below.
There is a difference between doing good talks and being good.
There is a difference between just retaining the shine of gold and being gold.
Although we keep sleeping in a magnificent building sometimes,
The wealthy and rich acknowledge about this very truth in the end,
The luxurious rooms can be rented by anyone,
That there is a difference between being confined within the walls and having a home.
Some people have well lived and some have only subsisted,
These are just indications towards living a beautiful life,
Although everyone has to lead towards the same destinations but,
There is a difference between finishing the journey and to accomplish it profoundly.
This is inherent nature wherein the entire world is also an expert,
This is a defense, which is also necessary and obvious too,
Move ahead with an understanding that a variance persists in two things,
There is a difference between cautious and to be scared of someone.
As for some time you become a dazzling heartthrob,
Be a gateway rather than becoming an obstacle Sartaaj,
The one which is unlikely to be locked ever because,
There is a difference between being a door and a threshold.
FROM THE DESK OF
Welcome to May! And welcome to Anthony Safari (intern from ILAC College) who is taking over from Manpreet as our HHAppenings Editor. I am sure you join me in wishing him the greatest of success!
When I think about May, I think about the very first in-person Bello Project training we offered. It was May of 2015 and it was the first time we “jumped off the drawing board” and fully into our role as trainers and educators to draw the circle of care wider to ease the suffering of those facing death and their loved ones (including their pets thanks to The Bello Project).
Seven years later we are now so happy that we jumped off that first time and that today our training and certificate programs are working with hundreds of individuals committed to helping normalize dying and death. Additionally, the front-line village of care providers is growing exponentially, making such a difference for so many.
One of our big May goals is a re-development of our Compassionate Caregiving online training. We will be putting a small working group together to assess various e-learning platforms allowing us to expand the reach of our training, reviewing and enhancing the content, and preparing to offer a customization of the training for our agency partners.
Our Chapter engagement work is also top on the list for the month of May. We officially welcome Laura Silver to our National Board of Directors as our Chapter Champion for Alberta. Additionally, the National Capital Region is doing amazing work with their community outreach and we are starting to explore Chapter Engagement in the London area.
Our circle is drawing wider every day, and it is thanks to every one of you reading this newsletter that we are able to serve communities well.
Tracey Robertson
CEO, Home Hospice Association
Welcoming a new team member into an existing team
Legacy for the Moonlit Memory Walk
We have a goal of 25 Host Walk Partners and locations. Are you able to help us meet our goal? This event offers a unique opportunity to grow a loved one’s legacy. Through the development of a tribute page, fundraising by asking for in-memoriam donations, and communicating to those who support you in your loved one’s memory, Home Hospice Association is able to ease the suffering of those facing death and those who love them. It all begins with telling their story, remembering that they lived.
Meet our Changemaker: Kelly Hurley
My favorite quote
The most inspirational words for me are the Mantra “Gentle Our Way In”. So much of what you do as an IPLD has to be based on gentleness. It’s the way ritual works; from the inside, out. It’s the way companioning works; as Wolfelt says, “meeting people at the soul level”. It’s the way you have to approach outreach in your community practice; taking steps to reach those who, in many cases, don’t have a voice. It’s the way I must explore my own grief; not with the goal of egoic fixing; but of gentle attention and observation.
In the words of Cari Ferguson, Death Doula/Infant & Pregnancy Loss Doula Candidate Advisor:
"Kelly Hurley is a graduate of HHA’s Infant and Pregnancy Loss (IPLD) Certificate Program. In the last year she has written 5 separate blog posts for HHA to publish, she is the guest speaker for a monthly doula learning night in April presenting a workshop entitled “Loved, Honoured, Remembered: A Workshop to Invite Healing Through Remembrance Rituals." She also has two other workshops that she is developing that she intends to run for HHA later this year and in early 2024. I believe that she is a deeply committed individual with a wealth of knowledge and experience to share and HHA is very fortunate for her continued contributions to our education and engagement programs."
Did You Know
Did you know National Work from Home day is every May 17th? Not to be confused with ‘remote work’ where an employee is working from home all the time, nor ‘Freelancing’ where the individual is an independent contractor running their own business from home. National Work From Home Day celebrates those days where office workers get the opportunity to avoid the commute and work from home for a day. The idea of the day is also to demonstrate that giving people the freedom to work from home from time to time can benefit both employer and employee. In short, it is saving office costs, helps ease transport congestion and encourages people to manage their workloads more effectively.
Talking to Children about Death
One of the most difficult conversations to have with a child is about death. Usually, we wait until someone or a pet is dying or has died. How strange, really. Why do we wait until we are grieving before we talk about something that we know happens every single day and could happen in the child’s life any time and without warning?
Spoonie Death Cafe for People with Chronic Pain & Disabilities
May 12, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
EDT Via Google Meet
Death Doula Certificate Program Weekend Sessions
Jun 02, 6:00 p.m. EDT – Jun 04, 5:00 p.m. EDT
Via Google Meet
Movie review - Big Fish
The funny and powerful story of Edward Bloom, an imaginative father, and his son William. The latter returns to the family home after having left it a long time ago, to be at the bedside of his father, who is suffering from cancer. He wants to know him better and discover his secrets before it's too late. The adventure will begin when William tries to discern the true from the false in the words of his dying father.
Book Review - Dying Well
Ira Byock, M.D
Dying Well brings us to the homes and bedsides of families with whom Dr. Byock has worked, telling stories of love and reconciliation in the face of tragedy, pain and conflict. It provides a blueprint for families, showing them how to deal with doctors, how to talk to friends and relatives and how to make the end of life as meaningful and precious as the beginning.” and grief alone.
