Finding peace in nature
For nearly 10 years, Terry Hill has stopped by The Stabler Centre on Dec. 5 with bud vases of red roses for every room.
It’s just one of the ways he honours his beloved wife, Anne, who died there at the age of 49, on that day in 2007.
“Annie used to bring flowers to the hospital and give them out to people there,” Hill recalls. “It’s such a small thing, but I’ll always do it.”
He vividly recalls the experience his family had at The Stabler Centre during Anne’s eight-day stay.
“From the moment we got there, we knew we were in the right place,” he says. “While Annie was in hospice care, I was able to just be her husband again.”
When Hill wanted to sing Amazing Grace to his wife, but couldn’t remember the words, a kind nurse looked them up and then joined him at Anne’s bedside to sing.
“The nurse had the voice of an angel,” he says. “It gave me goosebumps, and it is a highlight of my life that she did that for Annie.”
Since Anne’s death, Hill has found solace in hiking; and the sense of simple calmness that comes with getting outside, amongst natural surroundings. He reflects on the peace and tranquillity he has discovered while walking in the local forests and wants to share that with others.
Hill is volunteering now with Hospice Niagara to co-ordinate weekly Mindfulness Hikes.
The Mindfulness Hikes are an opportunity for bereaved individuals to connect with nature, embrace solitude and be mindful of their natural surroundings. In Japan,
this is referred to as shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing.” It has nothing to do with water, and is more than hiking for exercise. It incorporates the slow intake of nature and its surroundings with the focus on peace and relaxation.
For Hill, it’s his way of giving back to the place where he and his family found comfort.
“I can’t say enough good about the residential hospice,” he says. “It is a place where people go to live a better quality of life with more dignity until their death.” — Hospice Niagara focuses on improving the quality of life for people living with lifelimiting illnesses, death, dying, grief and loss. We rely on community support to provide these programs and services at no cost. Visit hospiceniagara.ca, info@hospicenigara.ca, 905-984-8766. Stay connected through Facebook, Twitter and sign-up for our e News letter.