Living for the sake of others takes many forms

Today I want to relate the story of two nurses who work at the chemotherapy/infusion center near the Community Hospital of my town. Their names, it took me six chemo sessions to finally remember their names. They don’t look alike; they are not twins by any means. However, as nurses of a very specialized medical center - they are alike. 

As patients we know very little about them. Why? Because once they step into the Chemo Center (as I call it) at 7:00am in the morning, they have left their personal lives at home. The only thing they think about is every patient they will interact with that day. Their temperament brings joy, hope and a sense of calmness. 

They are attentive to the needs of everyone. It is just as if I and I alone, was there that day. You do not have a sense that something in their minds or hearts may be troubling them, because their personal lives are just not showing. They are fully and completely engrossed in the well-being of their patients. 

To me, this is truly a quality that is worth mentioning because I don’t think what they do is easy at all. As patients we all are different. Some of us have it easy, but some of us are suffering … a lot, yet all of us at the center receive the same kindness, the same attention, and the same love. This love is a total and unconditional love given freely to the person in need. So yes, these ladies truly deserve the recognition for their practice of “living for the sake of others”, which is the only way to live if we sincerely want to create a meaningful and lasting peace.

This was originally published in West Hawaii Today newspaper sometime towards the end of the year 2009. The author is I, Anne-Marie Mylar. I have had extensive surgery for breast cancer, received chemotherapy, then radiation, then had to take pills for several years after that.