My hospital has a wall with “Shining Stars”, recognition to outstanding staff members. I enjoy looking at it and recognize names that seem to appear quite often.

Two nurses who consistently had numerous stars worked another department and shift. I was only blessed to meet each in person only once as each was admitted to our facility before they bravely lost their battles with cancer. I was shocked to realize many of the comments patients offered occurred at a time these nurses were probably much sicker than the patients for which they cared.

Our small hospital is also still reeling from the loss of another co-worker who went home one day and killed herself. We are all still shocked our co-worker felt such despair and pain that suicide seemed her only hope.

Another co-worker is a 50 something who finds herself living at home with her parents due to life’s hard knocks. For the last year or so, she would work her long 12 hour night shifts only to go home and care for her dying father. I will attend his funeral today.

As I ponder this I am reminded of two things. First, I must look past the patients and really see my co-workers. There really is no “us” on this side of the bed caring for the hurting “them” in the bed. We are all fragile, precious humans in need. Second, there can be beauty for ashes. The same unfair hand life dealt my friend allowed her to be home to care for her father when he needed her most.

There really is no “us” or “them”. Take time to be kind and tender-hearted; let’s be good to each other out there.