Plant Good Seeds

There is no beginning, so I’ll start from where we are.

American Healthcare (capital “H”) is in Trouble. Capital “T”.

I don’t need to spoon feed the issues one by one. You know them, because I know them. You know them because you’ve lived them. In your work, personal life, a mix of both, or are anticipating living it in the near or distant future.

This isn’t my problem. Nor is it yours. It is ours, and we’re in this together. Because, as Wookiefoot would say, “all the ships rise when the tide gets high… we’re all on a sphere here, it’s got no sides”.

So, because I can be a bit of a Tangential Mango, I’m going to plant some good seeds here. Seeds I intend to nurture, even if I’m not quite sure what they’ll become or what they need. I’m patient enough to find out, and I welcome your ideas to help this garden grow.

Plant good seeds asks:

• What are you creating?

• What is your legacy?

• What are you putting out there, nurturing, growing, sharing…

• What are you perpetuating?

Plant good seeds means:

• We’re not in this alone

• We can’t go forward without each other

• A ship divided will sink

• We know our cracks and how to fix them

• We can’t all know everything

• We may not do it right the first time

• We’re all doing our best

That’s my manifesto, I suppose.

So going forward, I may continue to explain myself, but I’d like to share my vision. While I have your brief attention. The next section has been hard to define, harder to envision, but is becoming clearer over time.

The next part feels scary to put into words, because that makes it actionable. Words become actions. Intentions. Movements.

My movement is a Pool of Shared Giving. I’ve drawn it, I’ve dreamed it, I’d someday like to live it. But even if I don’t, I believe these are good seeds. So, let me show you around.

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Healthcare, capital “H” is a messy, sticky, overwhelming place.

Our communities, regardless of this mess, have needs. People have needs. Systems are in place with the intention of meeting those needs. Some systems are well-functioning, others are well-hidden, and others could maybe use a Re-fresh.

With that said, I think we can agree that people have some basic, fundamental, universal, uniting needs in order to thrive. Not just survive, thrive.

Because thriving is how we succeeded, or didn’t.

Thriving is how we are nurtured and accepted.

What is thriving? In this garden, in our garden, thriving might be:

• Shelter and water

• Healthy foods

• Human assistance

• Socialization

Those who are introverts might not agree that socialization is an ingredient to thriving, but hear me out.

Shelter, water, and food are a bit simpler than the rest to understand. I’m not the expert in Meals on Wheels, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, or other wonderful community programs that may already be available in a widespread and accessible way. I know they exist, but I definitely rely on my social worker colleagues to help me better understand community resources.

I also know that, generally, systems exist in America to help people get access to these resources. Some are easy if you ask the right people, others are nuanced and seem to be wrapped in red tape and hidden from sight. Or maybe folks just aren’t looking in the right places. The internet is a deep well of resources.

Human Assistance and Socialization are where human needs vary, and the depth of this need might differ by individual, geographical area, upbringing, family support, whatever.

What I mean by Human Assistance and Socialization is, at some point, we may all have trouble accessing these nurturing tools. As our physical needs change over time, with illness, with lack of nurturing, these become deep, invisible barriers to thriving in the community.

Human Assistance might mean assistance with the following:

• Meal prep, delivery, or actual feeding of food

• Rides to appointments

• Housekeeping

• Medical care

• Transferring in the home

• Walking safely

• Monitoring

• Understanding and collaborating on the complex needs within the Healthcare system

Socialization might mean something different to everyone, but it could include:

• Visits to the home to sit on a bench and drink coffee

• Walks in the park to enjoy nature

• Gathering to exercise, read, knit, paint, sing, dance, create

• Phone calls to chat without an agenda

• Gatherings or Support groups for those with shared experiences or interests

  • Death and Dying

  • Chronic Illness

  • Family Dynamics

  • Faith or Religion

  • Philosophy

  • Hobbies

  • Celebrations

  • Meals

  • And on and on

This is what thriving sounds like to me. It’s the part Healthcare seems to be rushing through. Aware, trying its best, but maybe missing the mark sometimes. Possibly leaving a bit to be desired. But, sometimes? Checking all the boxes.

But Healthcare has its own focus, rules, regulations, boxes, distractions, flaws, opportunities. We can’t boil the ocean, but we can start small, and plant good seeds.

The next part, I’m going to have to wing it and speak from my heart. Because the story changes every time I tell it. The path winds differently every time I walk it. And where we go from here, we go together, and I’m excited to walk this path with you. The rest is our work locally, virtually, and spiritually. And the first step, for me, is storytelling. Connecting. Noticing. Sharing. Loving.

Know that I go forward with love for my community, and I welcome you to my Garden and the Pool of Shared Giving.

Love,

Jessie