My second week as a Chaplain Resident at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System has been more about watching than doing. Most of my time was spent shadowing experienced chaplains, walking beside them into palliative care and memory care units. What I witnessed this week was not loud or dramatic — it was quiet, steady, and deeply human.

My first week of CPE Residency at the VA Loma Linda hasn’t been filled with patient visits or deep bedside conversations. It’s been orientation—policies, procedures, introductions, and an endless stream of acronyms that my brain is still trying to file away somewhere.

The Weight of Loss + The Weight of Responsibility

There’s this silent expectation I felt:
Be strong for your family.
Don’t fall apart in front of the kids.
Keep being dependable.