There are some amazing people in this world, but they may not be famous or heralded in any way. Every day we wake up to our home and work routines, shuffle off to refill our coffees and catch up on the local morning news (or if you’re in the mood to get fired up, American morning news). There are life stresses to deal with: in naming a few, there may be kids getting bullied at school, finding ways to pay for home improvements, work deadlines that seem impossible to meet, and medical concerns to address. Our orbit often only extends as far as we can practically see, and we rely on others to keep us looped in when our lives may be impacted in some way.

I am certainly, and in some ways shamefully, guilty of taking things for granted and tunneling through life with a large set of blinders. After a surreal week, I am starting to notice little things a bit more. That lady that stops to help a senior pick up a bag of groceries that spilled all over the parking lot. A jogger that helps untangle a child that snagged themselves on a playground gate. A nurse that stops on the side of the road to offer support to an accident victim.

In pharmacy, our jobs are to help people when they’re frightened, or lost, or unaware of resources available. Most of us have a strong desire to apply our knowledge in ways that directly contribute to positive outcomes for our patients and their families. I’m comfortable in a pharmacy setting, and convicted in my approach to problems and their solutions. If you remove my lab coat and lead me out of the dispensary, I still want to help, but may be unsure how.  I would like to help that gentleman broken down in an intersection, but I know next to nothing about car mechanics. I want to aid a friend with financial hardships, but I have limited knowledge about debt consolidation. I want to be a shoulder for someone experiencing tragedy, but I’m not a trained counselor.

What I’ve learned that in the moment, a skill set doesn’t matter. Just knowing that someone is willing to give any part of themselves, even if it’s a reassuring word or simply making themselves available, is a huge help. Perhaps it’s the feeling that you’re not alone allows for a little extra boost of hope. A true empathetic response can really get someone through a dark time. To illustrate this, I’ve included below a brief talk from Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston.

I’d never really thought about the stark difference between the two terms, where one explains the acknowledgement of a hardship, and the other describes what it’s like to personally relate to another’s struggles. To be in the healthcare profession, it can be tricky to be empathetic and remain objective in your decision-making. I feel that balance is what makes pharmacists one of the most trusted professions in the world.

The genuine desire to help can not be faked. Even those days that we’re not feeling at our best, when confronted with a patient-care issue, we always stand up to meet the challenge. Good deeds often go uncelebrated but rest assured, the person needing assistance will remember. If you put the good out into the world, it will come back to you when you need it the most.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.