I commonly hear my husband get frustrated with two types of people in his workplace. First, the ones that are prideful and won’t admit they don’t know everything. Second, ignorant people that don’t realize they have only skimmed the surface of a topic. In either scenario there is an unwillingness to learn new things and it tends to hinder their work. Hearing him talk about this made me realize that there is an application in caregiving.

There were countless new experiences from which to glean information during my caregiving days. I picked up all kinds of tidbits from NICU, PICU, different hospitals, etc. Many of you can probably relate to this sentiment. 

Somewhere around the end of my first year caregiving I would joke that I was ready for my nursing certificate. I had become a near-expert in my daughter’s specific case, however that did not mean that I was an expert in all congenital heart cases, or even all HLHS cases. My college roommate was a nursing student. I saw the things she was studying and I do not have that same information tucked away!

But I have a word of caution: be honest with yourself about what you know and what there is to learn. Find the balance between ignorance and the pursuit of knowledge–learning what you need to do a good job, but not putting all of your faith in the knowledge itself.

Reading in Proverbs always reminds me that there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Let’s all remember to seek wisdom from the one who knit us together, the giver of all life; the Great Physician. As it says in Proverbs 2 “if you seek it (wisdom) like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”