Carlos enrolled in our outpatient hospice services when he was 82 years old with end stage lung cancer. Carlos was a retired New Boston steel mill supervisor with over forty years of service. It was obvious that it was still in his blood; because he became re-enthused every time he talked about his career. One of Carlos’ last positions was transportation superintendent.
Carlos’ interest in heavy equipment surfaced at an early age. Carlos reflected, “When I was two, I tried to lie down between the streetcar rails. I wanted the streetcar to run over me so I could see what was underneath it. It was fascinating to me! I still think there was enough clearance; it wouldn’t have crushed me!” I can see why Carlos became a transportation superintendent; but I also understand why his mother tethered him to the backyard clothesline with a dog leash.
Carlos’ situation was unique. I was his father, Harold’s, hospice social worker when I started my hospice career. I was also Carlo’s wife, Pearl’s, hospice social worker, four years before Carlos could have ever imagined ever needing hospice for himself. When Pearl was on hospice Carlos roped me into speaking about hospice at his New Boston Kiwanis club luncheon. But Carlos didn’t have to tug very hard to pull me in; because I’ve always been thankful for the New Boston Kiwanis Club. You see, they sponsored our high school National Honor Society, The New Boston Little League and owned and managed the low-income apartments I lived in during my freshman year of college.
I was privileged to meet Carlos’ three daughters; and when his daughter Vicki shared the following story with me; I knew I had to pass it on. Vicki recounted: “It was about fourteen years ago, back when mom just got saved and was studying the Bible a lot. Mom had only been a Christian for about a year. She and dad got saved at the same time. When my granddaughter, Kelsey, was about a year old; mom and I were in the back yard watching the kids play. We were standing by the back porch.” Carlos proudly interjected, “I built that porch for Pearl.” Vicki continued; “Mom and I were talking and all at once Kelsey jumped off the porch towards me. It caught us by surprise. We had no idea she was going to jump. I turned around real fast just in time to catch her. Then Mom told me, ‘That’s the kind of faith that God wants us to have in Him; to trust Him to catch us.’”
Pearls story reminds me of a song: “What if you jump; just close your eyes? What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise? What if He’s more than enough? What if it’s love? You’ve been running as fast as you can. You’ve been looking for a place you can land, for so long. What if you jump, (“What If”, by Nichole Norseman)?
Loren Hardin was a social worker with SOMC-Hospice for twenty-nine years. He can be reached at (740) 357-6091 or at lorenhardin53@gmail.com. You can order Loren’s book, “Straight Paths: Insights for living from those who have finished the course”, at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
