Caring for Others

There is a question on our Associate Satisfaction Survey that reaches in and tugs at my heart. This question makes me sad in a small way as I think back on the hundreds of people whose paths have crossed mine over the years. I wonder how I have treated most of them. I haven’t always been kind to those less fortunate or giving of my time to those closest to me. Sure, for the most part I’ve sincerely cared for “most” people I’ve met, especially if they were kind and generous to me. But, I digress. The question that I am eluding to states, “My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.

There have been a number of people who have impacted my life – people who watched out for my well-being, seeking nothing in return. They were only interested in my own good. Here are a few that even today bring a sense of warmth to my thirsty soul: my high school swimming coach, the pastor of the church that I attended while growing up, a beloved history professor during my first year in college, the head of the education department who went way past the extra mile for me at the college from which I graduated, and my first two Human Resources Directors here at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. 

After age 40 or 50, it can feel like no one watches out for you any longer. But, this does beg the question, “Who do you impact?” I wonder if someone making a similar list would put the name Brad Hoffman on their list of impactful people. Isn’t that what really matters? Isn’t caring for others what really brings us here today? Don’t forget to touch someone in a meaningful, caring way today.

-Brad Hoffman