I am so proud of this hospital. I am proud to work here; proud of my friends and colleagues; and proud to play some small part in making a difference to patients, relatives and staff.

And when I think of the past week, I have been invited into the lives of people who I have never met; and I hope I have shown compassion and care.

Since I last wrote there have been many sad events which I have been involved in.

Sometimes you forget what you do and its importance. So it was nice that on Friday our Chief Nurse Vicky Morris came into my office.

We were chatting and someone came into my room. They were is distress and asked me to pray for them.

When Vicky made to go, they asked if she would stay, and I listened and then prayed.

Once the person had left, Vicky asked me what sort of things, at the end of the day, made me go home thinking “That was a good day!”

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It made me think. Well, that person coming in for a start.

And then the baby blessing I had done a few days before.

And then supporting a staff member who was facing challenges.

And then, meeting a family – wife, children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters – along with their loved one who was dying, and spending time with them.

And a few more things- all of which have happened this week.

I hope that in each of these situations I have been able to give time, listen, and show compassion.

In the hospital world, where fixing things is what we do, these particular situations could not be fixed.

I had no magic wand; no special power. But what I could do was enter into the world of the people I was comforting.

Always by invitation; often unsure of what I am doing; always treading gently and not crushing people's spirits.

It seems to me that you don’t need to be a chaplain to do these things.

All of us can journey with others in this way to bring comfort.