I used to be a Hospice social worker. It was profoundly meaningful work. To journey with a family who are honoring a loved one in their living and their dying is a sacred place to bear witness. To speak words of blessing and farewell requires finding courage deep within their being.
It was during my work with Hospice that I began to understand companioning. The word “companion,” when broken down into its original Latin roots, means “messmate.” I was first drawn to the words and then the practice…
I invite you to consider where you are companioning someone in your life or where you have been companioned. Consider expressing gratitude to someone who has journeyed with you very courageously. I do not believe that you can be a companion and not be changed for good.
COMPANIONING IS ABOUT…..
Honoring the spirit ~
it is not about focusing on the intellect
Curiosity ~
not about expertise
Learning from others ~
it is not about teaching them
Walking alongside ~
it is not about leading
Being still ~
it is not about frantic movement forward
Discovering the gift of sacred silence ~
it is not about filling every painful moment with words
Listening with the heart ~
it is not about analyzing with the head
Bearing witness to the struggles of others ~
it is not about directing those struggles
Being present to another person’s pain ~
it is not about taking away the pain
Respecting disorder and confusion ~
it is not about imposing order and logic
Going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being ~
it is not thinking you are responsible for finding the way out