An interview with a chaplain is an odd place. Of course, it looks like a job interview – after all, this is about being hired for a paid internship, the very desirable residency starting in September I applied for. But the conversation also comes close to the dialogue one would have with a therapist. The chaplain tries to find out what self-knowledge you have and if you are willing to explore and discern more. When you get into a patient’s room, you should be aware of your own baggage and deep motivation.
On Monday afternoon, I had long conversations with three chaplains of Saint Joseph hospital. Three consecutive interviews later, I was feeling good as I was walking back to my car on the hilltop of Tacoma – almost euphoric. It went well, in a warm, relax atmosphere, I felt appreciated… I was experiencing a prudent sense of optimism. Then I found out that there were only 3 or 4 spots and that St Jo’s students from previous internships would be picked first.
In other words, this is not a done deal. But let’s not get discouraged. Early on the next morning, as I was going to work, a coyote crossed right in front of the car. I did not have time to take a picture but that was a young beautiful animal, with a fluffy tail, just like the picture below. It turned around several times before vanishing in the wood – puzzled maybe (“what, a human around here?”) Irvin smiled when I told him about it. He was taught to respect coyotes. “It’s a good omen” he said. We will see… I will know about the internship sometime in February.
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