More than a hundred chaplains and health care providers attended the workshop, “Spiritual Care for Health Care Providers” offered by Liz Ellmann, MDiv; Dawn Grinenko, MD; Jack Logue, MHA; and Carol Ludwig, MA, during the Spiritual Care Summit in Orlando, Florida, USA. Poet Jinks Hoffmann created a poem for the health care events.

Sunflowers

 

Petals of sunflowers, borders of golden beauty,

radiance of compassion lifted to sun,

bounty of possibility, delight and hope.

 

Centers of sunflowers, core of darkness,

weight of dismay,

heavy with weariness and despair.

 

Sunflowers, outer and inner,

light and dark are we,

tending others in need.

 

Heart of darkness at sunflower’s center

heart of seeds spills in weariness

onto acquiescent earth.

 

It is life’s Spirit, rich earth, healing sun,

nourishing rain,

it is life’s Spirit,

that pings forth the new.

 

Sunflowers, light and dark are we,

tending others in need.

 

When we release our seeds,

when we seek the unique respite

that serves our souls,

when we peathe into deepest wisdom within,

when we ask

what do I do here,

what do I do now?

Earth’s Spirit answers

in the language

only we can understand,

then can we, who tend others in need,

lift our golden faces

in compassion and celepation

once more.

 

© Jennifer (Jinks) Hoffmann 29th January 2009