Today, once again, someone said to me:
“Your job? Cleaning bottoms.”
And believe me… it’s not the first time I’ve heard it.
But tonight, I want to respond.
Calmly. Truthfully. Proudly.
Yes, I am a healthcare assistant.
And yes: I clean bottoms.
But I do much, much more.
I wash fragile bodies.
I dress trembling hands.
I feed tired mouths.
I change bedsheets—but also loneliness.
I listen to broken memories and offer words where there is only silence.
I restore dignity to those who can no longer hold onto it by themselves.
I take care of men and women who have given everything to this world.
And who today deserve only one thing:
to be cared for with humanity.
Reducing this work to a “dirty job” is not just wrong.
It’s offensive.
Because behind every gesture there is respect.
Behind every touch, there is gentleness.
Behind every exhausting shift, there is a heart that chose to be there.
And you know something?
Those who mock our work are often those who have never needed us.
Those who have never seen a parent lose their independence.
Those who have never had to accept their own fragility.
But that day will come.
And on that day… they will be grateful to find us.
Grateful to find someone who does not judge.
Who reaches out a hand.
Who cares with dignity, patience, and quiet love.
Our work is made of presence
when everything else withdraws.
It is not just any job.
It is a vital one.
So the next time you feel like laughing… think about it.
Because one day, perhaps, it will be your turn.
And you will be glad that, beside you, there is someone like us.
Leave a Reply