Passing the torch

I am an LPN. One of my best friends was a nursing assistant at a residential hospital for sick kids. (Mainly CP, head injury, etc.) She asked me to volunteer as a 'nurse' for an outing she was planning. She, and two other aids were going to take four of these institutionalized children to Butchart Gardens, a breathtakingly beautiful huge park made up of multiple stunning gardens. As well, there was a fireworks display after dark. Of course I jumped at the chance. All of us had a wonderful time enjoying the coloful flowers and trees. About an hour before the fireworks were to begin, we took the children into the wheelchair viewing area (how great...a special area set aside for those with limited mobility!) We had to keep four children ranging in age from about 6 to 16 (ok, not quite a child) occupied for an hour. We took them out of their wheelchairs, onto the grass with us, played games, sang songs, and generally made a lot of noise!! Just before the fireworks were to begin, a woman sitting next to us tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a note, saying her mother, an older woman in a wheelchair, wanted us to read this. Uh oh...thought we were in trouble for making so much noise. On the contrary. I read her note and it brought tears to my eyes. The note basically said...."I was a nurse once upon a time, many years ago. I have been watching you wonderful nurses with these children. How blessed they are to have such caring nurses. You are all surely the best of your profession. It does my heart good to know that my generation of nurses has passed the torch on to young nurses like you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your special evening." Wow. It was one of the most memorable parts of my career.