Awe

The van with the County logo drove down the street and I gave it some thought - perhaps it was a meals on wheels delivery for one of our senior neighbors who was just back from a recent hospital stay. Another thought was that maybe it was a county staffer affiliated with social services or mental health, and – like any nosy or caring neighbor – I contemplated who on my street might be in need of those services and prayed that they would be OK.

But I was wrong.

The van was actually a nurse affiliated with our county’s department of health. The nurse was trained in palliative care and making home visits to a neighbor of ours, providing end–of-life care to one of our county residents through the county’s hospice program.

It happens to be national county government month. I was not planning to write commentary like this, not expecting to see the van on the street and put two and two together. I give talks all over the country about the work of county governments - and this month there are stories galore of the excellent work and amazing services that county workers do each and every day - and then you experience something like this and think of about the scope, breadth and magnitude (and weight) of these types of services to our residents and about the nurse doing this dignified, caring, incredible work - sometimes you are just in awe. I am in awe.