January 6, 2010 @ 3:35 pm
This Child’s Life
Levine Children’s Hospital, Charlotte, NC (2)
As I walked out of Levine Children’s Hospital my eyes welled a bit with tears, but only for a minute. I felt fresh and new, overwhelmed and a bit sad, but more inspired then possibly ever before. That I was able to experience something so profound is magnificent and simply, a memory that will remain with me forever. When originally approached with this opportunity I felt excited, incredibly blessed and somewhat anxious about what I would see. I was certain this was a stop I had to make but somewhat concerned with the overwhelming emotions. My fears could not have been further from reality. The experience was a complete success and created moments I will never forget.
Upon my arrival to the facility I met the woman who had so generously agreed to become my guide. I began the day walking throughout the entire hospital. This twelve-floor, 234-bed establishment felt much more like a museum than a hospital. The chandelier created with 10,000 hand-tied mulit-colored crystals shimmered on the floor below. The paintings throughout each wing reminded me tremendously of those housed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the colors that beamed throughout every room made me feel, alive. As we toured each section of the building we discussed the unique attributes of the facilitiy, and I quickly noticed that as we left elevators, nurses held the sliding doors, as we walked through the halls, random employees would ask if someone had lost their way- this was not just a hospital with great televisions, wiis and donation closets- it was a haven, for the kids, the families and all of the people who contributed to its’ success. I found that the generosity so apparent in everyone often times must be somewhat unbelievable provided the difficult situations in which they find themselves. At Levine Children’s Hospital however it seems very clear that they in no way allow those difficult situations to shine through the work they do. They focus on the task at hand- making children feel better, safe and happy.
After my tour I was able to spend time with some of the children as they created masterpieces of sand art. They poured the different colors into the containers and used straws, pencils and pipe cleaners to form unusual designs. By now I was totally comfortable. The bandaids on their arms became unnoticeable, the sounds of the various monitors disappeared. What remained was the way she scribbled her name on a board or the smile on his face that stretched wall to wall. After finishing the projects each child was proud of the accomplishment and I was proud of the innocence, purity and courage that so evidently still exists, even if only in our children.
There was one young boy, six, maybe seven years old. When I saw him from afar, moving down the hallway with his mom navigating his IV from behind, I simply watched him. So many thoughts ran through my head-the way Catron and Campbell look at me when they know I have their answer, the way John Russell “speaks” to me every time I’m around, and the unbelievable admiration I had for this young boys’ courage and determination. When asked if the boy wanted to walk to the closest playroom he responded with something like, “Nah, I’m waitin’ for shot number six. I’ve already had five today,” and then proceeded to proudly display his battle wounds. Today, this story made me learn how much I can learn from children. I learned that the eagerness we have as young people unfortunately, quite often fades as we age. I learned that the restrictions we place on ourselves as we grow older are just that; they’re restrictions that cause us to convince ourselves that something important, maybe incredible, is out of reach. Mostly I learned that the passion we have as children to simply survive is a passion we should never lose. To be given the opportunity to live on this earth and contribute to those who need our help is quite possibly the greatest gift we can ever know.
Today was a new beginning for me, inspired by people who make life easier for others. The employees are friends, the parents provide comfort and the children force us to look at the blessings we have been given-the blessings we too often take for granted. I thank the children for helping me with these lessons and I thank them for helping me to know that I’m a stronger person than I ever imagined. It truly is their strength I admire however. I can only hope that one day, should I decide to have a child, that he or she would show the courage and passion that these children show, and I will work so very hard to ensure they never let it go, and that it never disappears.
Note: Thank you to Holli for particularly making this day possible and to Carrie for the VIP treatment
