Ken Jones - Heralder of Fun and Delight
If we have learned anything in the last year of the pandemic, we know that kindness and compassion are powerful tools for change. Ken Jones, our Technology Specialist, embodies these qualities of meaningful change in the lives of children and families who find themselves in the hospital. Recently Ken and I were reminiscing about his work over the last 15 years here at Benioff Children’s Hospital-San Francisco. When I asked him about his favorite ways of working with kids, his answer was “just to have fun.” It sounds simple and maybe even easy. But then you start to understand its profundity within the context. Fun is no simple pursuit in a hospital where children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Ken describes “having fun” as providing an atmosphere where a patient may shift their awareness from discomfort to play. How do you have fun when you are a five-year-old in pain? A nine-year-old with medical machines attached to you? A teenager in strict medical isolation and struggling with why this is happening? Technology, creativity and magical realm of television are powerful tools to offer alternatives.
Ken is known for his readiness to meet the needs of a child, family, or even the needs of a fellow staff member. And he uses the most sophisticated tools within the realm of broadcasting and technology. Ken describes how this has always been his passion. From as young as 14 years old, he has done television broadcasting within various communities.
Here you can find examples of how Ken has lifted children’s lives by meeting them where they are currently. Even if you may not see him (you may still hear his voice from off camera!), he provides a means for children and their families to interact via live TV shows. By offering the unexpected, Ken opens up a new realm of what is possible, maybe even finding something delightful during the isolation of a pandemic. Please watch this video: https://www.bchcreativearts.org/blog/lkzwvr36cnice5bis04snt5lygsdpe
That video reminds me of the poet Ross Gay’s recent book entitled “The Book of Delights: Essays.” He took a year to explore and write about a daily delight. His in-depth inquiry into the meaning of that which delights us is a profound shift away from cynicism, fear, and anxiety. In his interview by Krista Tippett at On Being (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ross-gay-tending-joy-and-practicing-delight/id150892556?i=1000469614050), he describes the life-altering experience of such soul sensitizing moments that bring him back to what is essential and meaningful. A revolutionary act to embrace delight in a world that so often asks us to embrace anger or hatred.
Ken has been connecting children and families to the delight of the unexpected for 15 years here at Benioff Children’s Hospital-San Francisco. I have learned so much from working with him via his joy and kindness… his embrace of the delight-filled and cynicism crushing world of fun.