Get up from your desk

In the midst of our tour of UK hospices we had a little bit of down time in London this past weekend. While wandering around the city on a beautiful Saturday afternoon we came across an art gallery displaying photos taken as part of the Shoot Nations Growing Up in the 21st Century contest. The caption on one of the pictures really struck me.

'A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.' A girl daydreams outside the limitations of school.

Research and study are important, phone calls are helpful, but the world you learn about from behind your desk is at best two dimensional. We have learned so much over the past two weeks on our tour that we never would have otherwise understood about the children's hospice model in the UK.

Reading about models and methods for providing children’s hospice and palliative care services online was important but it did not begin to teach us everything we need to know. You cannot capture the laugh of a child as their care worker blows bubbles in his face through a picture. You cannot appreciate the feeling you get when you walk into a bereavement suite through a set of floor plans. You cannot replicate the conversation around a dinner table between parents, children and care staff over a conference call. These types of things can only be learned and experienced in person.

Is there something you want to know more about in this world? If so, put the book down, shut down your computer and go out and learn about it in person. You won't be sorry.