The smile of hearts

Rosaria Helfer, a person of the heart and a certified nurse in a long-term care facility, sends me a text she has written. She has heard that I give voices a face. Her lines touch me so much and so deeply that tears come to my eyes right away when I read them. I love it when people give me something from their world to feel. From a world into which I would otherwise not go.

In her story, she describes how her daily work routine was changed by the virus and by the mandatory wearing of the masks. Although Rosi is so experienced in her profession, and has also experienced many things in her life, this situation is still new. It raises questions: „how do I explain to a woman with dementia that she is suddenly no longer allowed to see my smile“? „What is more important, to be able to give these people entrusted to me a smile and a hug? Or to put health first and thereby put this person in a kind of human isolation“? I don’t have an answer to this and suddenly completely different values are in question with me. Humanity versus health. Love versus reason.

During the photo shoot and the encounter with these precious heart people and caregivers, I only really became aware of how little I had dealt with this stage of life or a place like this facility until then. This nursing home is, for most of the residents, that place where they will live out their lives to the end. These caregivers are often the last people to be so close to the residents during this precious time. Tears come to my eyes and I feel a guilt. The guilt with having created a system where the elderly no longer have a place within the family. In which children cannot afford to care for their parents at home.

When I listen to my heart, I feel it very clearly. Humanity and love come first. Touching a person in the heart, giving them love and attention, even if only for a fleeting moment, is what we need. I wish to be loved and to be able to love as my mom and dad made me feel, at the moment of my birth. I wish it so much. For the people and for myself.

The video of the photo shoot can be seen below the photos.