“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”
– Randy Pausch
It’s a funny line, but it’s also a gentle reminder that some of this year’s hardest moments have shaped us in ways we didn’t expect.
What I Learned This Year
As I look back, one simple truth keeps rising to the surface: we grew more than we realized. Not through easy days, but through the ones that stretched us. The days when the schedule was full, the needs were heavy, and yet we still found a way to offer kindness, patience, and presence.
Another lesson is that the small things matter more than we realize. A quiet visit. A hand on a shoulder. A phone call returned promptly. A moment where you slowed down long enough for someone to feel seen or heard. These are not small to the people receiving them. They are lifelines. And you provided more of them than you know.
And finally, this year has reminded me that we don’t do this work alone. We lean on each other, sometimes without saying we need to. We share the weight, we share the stories, and we share the grace that carries us through the tough days. Community is not a luxury in hospice; it’s essential.
So as this year closes, take a moment to honor what you’ve given. You helped families through days they will never forget. You brought peace into rooms where fear was trying to settle. You showed up with compassion when it mattered most.
You’re making difficult seasons better.
It counts.
It matters.
Believe it.
May you experience grace and peace as we end this year and start a new one,
Tobby E. Smith, PhD, M.Div.
Lead Chaplain
