Erie “Chip” Chapman
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The Hospital Curve – Early 1990s
Aerial Photo: “Riverside Methodist Hospitals” circa 1990 “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince If you and I were partners in the 1980s… Continue reading
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The Beauty of Orchids: A Caregivers’ Reflection
Sometimes, on special occasions, I’ve been gifted with a beautiful orchid. Yet once the blossoms fell, the plant would soon follow. Over time, I found myself offering outward gratitude while inwardly cringing; Oh no, I’m going to kill another orchid.… Continue reading
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Brave Kindness
She is clearly kind. But why would this nurse need bravery? The answer comes as a question. How many times across your long career did you say to yourself when the alarm went off, “Do I really want to show… Continue reading
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It Matters Where We Stand
Robin Wall Kimmerer, a renowned Potawatomi botanist, professor, and author of Braiding Sweetgrass and The Serviceberry, beautifully intertwines Indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge. Through her work, she invites us to reconsider our relationship with the living world. Rather than viewing… Continue reading
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Can Compassion Heal? New Evidence Says Yes.
What do the elite veterans of caregiving at hospitals like Riverside Methodist and Nashville’s Baptist (now St. Thomas Midtown) know that new caregivers may not? It is more than what can be discerned from the fragment of papyrus (pictured) that… Continue reading
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Hospitals And Prisons: How Both Threaten Loving Care
I am not only an alumnus of hospitals but also, as both a lawyer and minister, prisons. What do they have to do with caregiving? See if you spot similarities. Death Row: “You can’t comprehend the hell ,” Glenn, growled… Continue reading
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Unseen Acts of Caregiver Courage – Two Stunning Stories
Two Stunning Stories Stories that are shocking elsewhere are so commonplace in hospitals that their meaning is often lost. I re-raise the stories below as remarkable examples of two different kinds of courage. Some I witnessed during my career-long practice… Continue reading
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The Gift of A Letter
Today I received a text from a dear friend. She wrote: “Thinking of you. I hope this note finds you well. Today would have been June’s birthday. We spent many of her birthdays together. It’s interesting—I’m currently reading a book… Continue reading
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Becoming Weavers of Reconnection
In a time when conversations feel increasingly fragile and divisions run deep, I am learning how difficult, and how necessary it is to choose courage, compassion and kindness. “You must do the things you think you cannot do.”—Eleanor Roosevelt Choosing… Continue reading
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The Alumni Reunion
What Are We Thinking?:-) Hard to admit, but when I went back to RMH in 2015 I encountered several “old” partners. One of them saw my white hair and wrinkles, did not recognize me and blurted out “Is that really… Continue reading
Journal of Sacred Work 