“Facing a Brick Wall” is an expression we use in conversation to indicate we have come upon a stopping place we did not expect and did not desire.  Some writers also call this “writers block” when they are unable to write when they really do want to write.  My daily readers will notice I have not blogged for roughly a week.  I was “Facing a Brick Wall”.  The problem with brick walls is that if you are not athletic like I am not, you can’t scale the wall.  I am afraid of heights so a tall ladder is not an option.  Going around the wall also was not an option.

My brick wall was making a difficult decision.  I found myself in the shoes of many of the patients and family members I deal with regularly at the hospital.  They have been given facts, they have been given options, and they do not like any of the options to deal with facts they have been given.  Difficult decisions are one of the hardest things we face in life.  And it appears many of us have to face more of them than seems fair at times.

When I come along-side a person or family wresting with a difficult decision I listen.  I offer assurance.  I try to get them to think about their values and what direction their values give them in possible responses.  Sometimes we pray, but even if prayer is not spoken at the moment these conversations and times of non-anxious presence have a sacramental nature to them.

This week I took my own advice and found a prayer partner to help me sort my way through the decision I was making.  Now that the decision has been made, I am able to write again.  I write not out of sense of duty but out of sense of transparency – being open about my work and my approaches to life events in the hopes that what I write can benefit others.  If you have missed my daily postings I am glad to tell you I am back to writing.  Thank you for reading along with me.