Journey of Acceptance

My time in hospice has taught me many things, but if I had to say the most impactful lesson I have learned, it would be acceptance. Acceptance comes in many forms, such as acceptance in others, acceptance in ways of actions and thoughts, and acceptance in the inevitable. Through my various interactions with hospice patients, I realized that everyone is struggling to accept something in their own lives, which stems from a dissatisfaction about factors in their lives. However, when we talk it out, it seems that by sometimes accepting the nature of the uncontrollable, it can relieve the tension they feel in their lives. So they can focus on the positive elements instead. Even in myself, I find there are situations where I must learn acceptance in order to grow and become more empathetic. For example, I started looking back on my own family relationships, and I do find myself at conflict with my parents sometimes. The disagreements could cause tension, and as a result, I feel I want to shut their words and presence out. However, I know that this is not a constructive method for me, and so I try to extend an understanding hand so that we can resolve our differences. This is something that takes time to fully come to an agreement, but I think by accepting their criticisms and trying to comprehend things from their perspective, I realize I can create a bridge of dialogue. Many individuals I have talked to said they felt similarly where they sought isolation from others because they had difficulty coming to terms with certain ideas. However, in sharing our stories, we have all taken steps towards the direction of acceptance, calmness, and peace.