Love more fully

I am not one to make New Years resolutions. In fact, I think in my whole life I have maybe made 2. I think I may have accomplished one of those. Funny, but I only remember the one I didn't accomplish. Anyhow, this year I decided to make a resolution that could not be measured with linear thinking. It was: "to love more fully". Some of you might snicker, or cringe at the sappyness, but to me it is a real goal. I looked at my life and the relationships I am blessed with and I realized I have ample room to improve on this. From my mother-daughter relationship to my patient-nurse relationship, there are little things I can do every day to love more fully. This brings me to the end of three months in Haiti. I keep waiting for that "big story" you know the one-the one you can tell everyone about and use as an example of the type of work I am doing. Or even: How I saved this person's life. ...and I'm still waiting. The truth is, there is no big breaking story. And if there never is, I'm ok with it. Because love isn't some big shining moment when something you do changes the beast into a prince. (Thank you Disney.) It is a day in, day out, struggle. A down in the mud pit wrestling match with yourself. Mother Teresa once said "We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love." I'm now really starting to understand what she meant. And so that is what I am doing. Small things. Today I started with putting a cool washcloth on a feverish forehead. I finished with a hug and a kind word for a grieving family. My advice: Keep looking for those small things.