Hospice for All Seasons

06/18/2026

"ALWAYS A CHOICE"

Earlier this week, I planned to drive home to the Harrisburg area from Lewistown, where I was visiting with a long-time friend, Beth. We had attended a spiritual retreat in western Massachusetts, after driving there last Wednesday: a six and a half-hour journey. We had participated in meaningful experiences during the three and a half-day retreat. We had met new people and renewed connections with others. We had eaten tasty, healthy meals prepared by others.

The Catholic retreat center where we were had over the years planted and nurtured such an extensive collection of trees, shrubs and perennials that it qualified as an arboretum. A lush setting to connect visitors with nature.

We enjoyed air conditioned rooms while the outside temperatures soared into the 90's along with oppressive humidity. And, on Sunday at noontime, we headed home, anticipating that the long ride would likely involve rain and maybe thunderstorms. We arrived safely back at her home where a rainbow arched over the green hills of Pennsylvania. A beautiful ending to our trip.

After a good night's sleep, I prepared to drive back to the Harrisburg area to return to work. When I got in my car, put my foot on the brake and pressed the start button, nothing happened. Nothing. The battery seemed to be completely dead. A call to AAA assured me help would arrive-- in 1.5-2 hours!!!

Lucky for me, Beth's home offered comfortable patio seating overlooking a green grassy field rimmed with forest trees under a sunny sky with fluffy white clouds floating by. Snacks and cold drinks were available in endless supply. We never exhausted interesting conversations.

Two hours turned into three and the nearly to four! When my patience wore thin and my frustration started to turn my sunny disposition to resemble the darkening sky above, threatening to drive us inside to shelter. Beth reminded me that we always have a choice to become irritated and to grumble in disappointment and impatience. Or... we could focus on what was good in our situation.

We were safe. We were not stranded on a busy highway in bad weather or in the middle of a dark, stormy night. We had refreshments. We had access to a clean, functional bathroom. We had each other to share the experience. We had two working cell phones and access to charge them. We really had much more than what we needed.

And... we had a choice to be grateful for what we had or to become unpleasant and testy by focusing on what we lacked, especiallywhen we are grieving. The same choice presents itself to us multiple times a day... in matters of great importance and in matters mundane. We often do not get to choose what is happening to us, but we always have the choice to make about how we respond to what is happening around us.

We might be grieving a very significant loss. We might be feeling incapable of coping with our grief. We might be scared or angry or lonely or confused or overwhelmed. No matter what we are feeling, we get to choose our response. We can lash out at others. We can withdraw and isolate. We can blame others for our loss. We can shout or cry or express our emotions in any variety of behaviors.

If you are finding it difficult to choose behaviors that are authentic and helpful, please consider reaching out to one of our grief counselors. We can listen to your feelings and assist you to choose behaviors that are healthy; ones that will move you to authentic expression of your grief. A phone call to 717-234-2555 will connect you to a caring and competent grief counselor. This is a free service available to you. We hope you will use it to facilitate progress on your grief journey.

-- Written by Dot Everhart,
Hospice Chaplain and Grief Counselor

06/17/2026

Soul Chat: .
As we discuss Biblical glimpses regarding destiny this month I would like to take us to another event recorded which I find very interesting. See what you think.
On day Jesus selected three of His students to join Him on a hike up a mountain to a spot where He could pray alone. As the 3 watched, Jesus suddenly became radiant and dazzling. To further amazement, two men were present talking with Jesus. They are identified as Moses and Elijah.
Both these men were well-known to the Jewish audience observing this. The destiny aspect of this event is that Moses lived about 1400 years prior to Christ and Elijah lived about 850 years before Christ. So here they are talking to Jesus about his crucifixion in Jerusalem. Amazing. All the boundaries we know of time and age, and knowledge are crossed in this event. Again in this discussion regarding destiny, it seems apparent as that blend of natural and supernatural dimensions yet to come.

06/16/2026

06/12/2026

You are Enough!!!

06/11/2026

"GRIEF IS A CELEBRATION"

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JE7Gm814T/

This post from Facebook includes Joanna Scanley reading Donna Ashworth's poem in which she calls grief a celebration. This notion likely causes us to pause and ask questions, because we rarely, if ever, think of our grief as a celebration. Here are the words to that poem:

"Perhaps, grief is a celebration?
Hear me out.
What could possibly warrant festivity more than knowing you were loved in this lifetime?
To be wrapped up warm in such soul-deep certainty - the knowing - that whilst they had breath in their body you loved with abandon, as though it was the point of it all.
Whatever could there be, my friend, whatever could exist that requires celebrating more than the love you poured into the person you miss?
The bond so majestic, so joyful, so earth-shatteringly, life-changing, that of course, of course, it belongs on the calendar and painted on the stars to be worshipped, forevermore.
Pinned to the fabric of this universe for all time.
Held there, for infinity, and on, by the strongest glue there ever was - love."

We only grieve for those we love. And, whenever love is in our lives, it IS cause for celebration. We can find many days in the year to celebrate this love: birthdays, anniversaries, special vacation memories, important conversations, shared quiet moments, eating at a favorite restaurant, watching a favorite movie... every day can be a celebration of the love and daily life we shared.

Our Bereavement Team is available to help you to explore how your grief reflects the love you shared with your departed loved one. Call 717-234-2555 to speak to a grief counselor today.

-- Written by Dot Everhart, Chaplain & Grief Counselor

06/10/2026

Soul Chat: As we think about destiny this month I am sharing some Biblical glimpses offered to us to answer questions we may have. First question is: what kind of being will I be? What might I be like?
The Bible describes angels as real spiritual servants God sends to help us on earth. They appear to be a unique creation of God for that purpose rather than people who have already gone to be with God.
I think a model of a person in their post death existence could be Jesus Christ Himself after His resurrection and before He ascended back to Heaven 40 days later. He appeared 10 - 12 times to various people or groups. He talked to people. People touched Him. He encouraged people and related to them. People sometimes did not immediately recognize Hims and other times they did. Some aspects of the resurrected Jesus were very natural.
Other aspects were of a different dimension, one unknown here on Earth. There were times He would just appear as if from nowhere. Also times He would vanish in an instant. He would arrive at the exact instant to answer the question someone had just asked. He even appeared to a group as large as 500.
A fascinating event to me was when He appeared in a locked room, ate some food, and then vanished, food and all. Definitely another dimension.
My conclusion is that our existence in Christ beyond the grave blends natural reality with supernatural dimensions about which we know nothing here on earth. I think this is something we can look forward to.