In the Midst of Life: A hospice volunteer story
By Charles Rose; 186 pages; published by NewSouth
Books
In the Midst of Life chronicles the journey of a retired English professor
who is transformed by his volunteer experience. Reading much like a novel,
this memoir offers a detailed account of Charles Rose's day-to-day experiences
as a hospice volunteer in Lee County, Alabama. His time is spent travelling
down the back roads of Lee County and into the homes - and lives - of terminally
ill patients and the people who care for them. With affectionate detail, he
recounts his many visits and the people he becomes intimately acquainted with:
a truck driver, a soldier, an elderly black woman, another professor. Although
no visit could be considered easy, Rose begins to recognize and experience
the interconnectedness of all human beings, the "we of me" as he refers to
it.
Like any good storyteller, Rose succeeds in bringing the reader along for
the ride, not just down those country roads, but right into the heart of the
experience, as he quietly reaches out to comfort the ill and their caregivers. In the process, he - and we - realize the tremendous impact that volunteering has on his own life. As a hospice volunteer, death and dying are never far from mind. And while this book does shed light on the realities of working with the terminally ill, ultimately Rose's memoir isn't about death at all. It's about celebrating life. It also reveals the value of hospice and palliative care, and the unwavering dedication of the people who dedicate their lives to it.
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$18.12
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$12.57
