Spiritual Perspectives
And the Subject is...

By Rev. Linda Rounds-Nichols
Special to the Independent

He walks in the room and the talking stops. People glance, but don't look directly at him. It's as if looking at him will cause something terrible to happen to them. Elsewhere, someone else walks into church, but doesn't know where to sit. She starts for the pew where she usually sat, but it doesn't seem quite right. Someone notices, and invites her to sit with "the others." He knows a secret, but is afraid to tell even his family and closest friends. If he tells them, they may turn away, or feel uncomfortable. They are professionals, yet when they tell people what they do, the conversation ends quickly.

These people all have something in common. The talking stops when he walks in the room, because his wife just died. She doesn't know where to sit at church until someone invites her to sit in the pew with the other widows. His secret is that he has been told he has a terminal illness. They are professionals working for Hospice, or offering grief/bereavement groups, or providing bereavement seminars.

The subject is death. We will not avoid it. We certainly do try. Last year, when the RMCHCS Home Care Department offered a volunteer training, the training was cancelled because not enough people were interested. Hospice volunteers provide an important service. We are available to visit with the patients and with the family members. As those of us who have served as care givers know, it helps to have a little extra support. More recently, the Health Careers Department at UNM-Gallup offered a class called End of Life Issues. Like the volunteer training, the class was cancelled due to lack of interest. Yet, people in the health careers will be faced with death and dying on a regular basis. We all try to avoid thinking about this subject.

We try, but we can't avoid death, and we are needed. Hospice is planning another training for volunteers. People who might be willing to spend time visiting patients and families are invited come to the training, which will be held in March. If you are interested, please call the Hospice Office, 863-7041.

Some of us know that we can't avoid this subject, because we are dealing with a recent loss. There is help. RMCH is offering another grief/bereavement group this spring. This weekly group is scheduled to begin in February and will run about a month and a half. If this sounds interesting, please call the RMCH Chaplain, Kris Pikaart, at 863-7140.

Sometimes it doesn't feel comfortable to be involved in volunteering and/or groups, yet we are interested in learning more or talking about a loss. There are many counselors in the Gallup area, as well as clergy who offer pastoral care. When we are hurting it is hard to reach out for help, yet often others don't know of our needs unless we do.

We cannot avoid death the deaths of others will touch us, and we will someday die. Before that happens, we can reach out we can ask for help and we can be ready to provide help to others. I encourage you to call the Hospice Office to learn more about becoming a Hospice volunteer, or the Chaplain to learn more about the grief/bereavement group. We all have needs, and we are all needed. I encourage you to call today.

Rev. Mtr. Linda Rounds-Nichols is responsible for Agape Ministries, an ecumenical service ministry mission of the catholic apostolic Church of Antioch. The Church of Antioch is an independent catholic [universal] denomination. It is a sacramental church that offers a traditional style of worship and that encourages people to find spiritual truth. Agape Ministries: 863-2717. Church of Antioch: www.churchofantioch.org. Rev Mtr. Linda has been trained as a Bereavement Facilitator and is a member of the American Academy of Bereavement Association.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, wishing to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.