Category Archives: Gratitude

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Amazing How Your Attitude Can Change When You Ask a Question –

Get an Answer Before You Make a Judgment

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I’m sure you have all heard the story about the man on the subway who was really upset with another passenger – this other guy had 3 kids and they were running around all over the subway car, making noise and generally causing havoc. The father just sat there and did nothing to control his kids.

Finally, the irritated man went over and said something to the father, who acted startled, thought for a minute and then replied “Oh, I’m so sorry. We came from the hospital where their mother just died and I guess I was too distracted to pay attention.”

Needless to say, the irritated passenger’s thoughts and tone changed dramatically when he heard that.

The same thing happened to me today and taught me once again to ask questions before making judgements.

The clinic that’s closest to my hospital is where I go to get my meds and labs drawn because it’s convenient. Well, several months ago the lab switched to appointment only. This made me feel like the irritated passenger in the story above. I had to make an appointment to get my labs done this week and the appointment was for mid morning today – thereby interfering with my walking regimen..How dare they? ha ha.

It really isn’t a problem but as you can probably figure out since most of you know me – it was a CHANGE – one of those things I’m not fond of …another ha ha..I certainly could adjust my schedule around this. But….it was just the “principle” – and I think that probably the principle that was violated was that they didn’t ask me…not a very good principle to stand by.

So, as I sat there awaiting my “appointment” I was simmering and wanted to ask the tech why they switched to an appointment. But since I am always afraid of rejection, I debated the wisdom of doing that. Boy, am I glad I got brave.

I asked.

I left humbled.

There were two reasons. One didn’t impress me at all. The second impacted my thoughts significantly.

The first reason was that the other places were switching to appointments and so the people at those places who didn’t want to wait for an appointment were flooding into this clinic’s lab – making the wait time excessively long and stressful for the staff. Ok, so just because another place is doing it doesn’t impress me as a valid reason for them doing it. However, if i get my emotions out of the way, i would assume the higher ups evaluated it and felt it was a better business practice – even if they still didn’t ask me.

Then the tech told me she’d been having significant health problems since early January of this year starting with Covid and then developing into severe anxiety. She said she told the bosses that if she could come back, she couldn’t come with the lines being so long but that she could probably handle an appointment system. This is a one person shop and it has been compounded by a new military electronic health record system which has driven many a person mad in the 9-10 months it’s been in effect.

When she was telling me all that happened, I changed my thoughts completely …and immediately. I could understand it and was so happy there was something that enabled her to continue working and feeling useful.

All that simmering for nothing. Another lesson learned – actually a few lessons especially about the “parts” of me that think the world has to clear everything with me before doing something. Then there’s the “part” that thinks everything that doesn’t follow my “schedule” is an inconvenience and wrong. and so on. See how parts work? They run your life and your mind without even realizing it. Think about what’s bothering you and see if you can figure out why.

Be kind to others and be grateful if you can do something to help them feel worthwhile.

 

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Miracle or Just an Invention?

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Here’s one definition of miracle: extraordinary and astonishing happening that is attributed to the presence and action of an ultimate or divine power.

What constitutes ‘divine power’?

I think we should pay attention to those things that are all around us – those we take for granted on a daily basis. It is my opinion that we have become too glib about what surrounds us. I believe there are many miracles in our lives but we just don’t see them anymore. We’re always looking elsewhere. Most of what makes our day go smoothly was probably once considered a miracle – the inventions – the airplane, electricity, the car, going to outer space, antibiotics, vaccines, etc..

The cynics would say those things are just inventions. I say they are miracles. It gives me pleasure and happiness to look around me and see all the miracles that have made my life as perfect as it is. And it is perfect in so very many ways. Do I give thanks for this? Not enough. Do I take everything for granted? Unfortunately, Yes. My heater wasn’t working when it was so cold here last week. When the guys fixed it, did I realize how fortunate I was that a thing called a “heater” was in existence now? You bet. I thought about it even more for the 4 days I froze my butt off. It made me remember that the house I lived in when I was young had a coal bin in the cellar. Those are probably words many of you don’t even understand. Cellars are now basements and coal bins were the walled off sections in that cellar where they stored the coal for heating. What a pain that was.

Look around you. Stop taking each day and each “gift” in your life for granted.

Start each day anew and see how many “miracles” you can identify. You can do it when you wake up, when you go for a walk, on your way to work or to the store or even lying in your bed. Treat each person you meet each day as a miracle in your life. Soon, the miracles will multiply and you’ll spot even more.

Let’s focus on the good people and things around us. Each of us has a daily miracle. We just need to open our eyes to find it

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How Do You Want to be Remembered

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I had the honor of attending the memorial service for Dr. Anne Kunath today. It was so well done and brought back so many amazing memories of a phenomenal woman.

Amongst other things it made me wonder what a legacy really is and how you would want to be remembered,

Dr. Kunath was the most self-less person I’ve ever known. The only thing important to her was always how “you” were, not how she was. She cared about everyone else. She epitomized the concept of doing something for others every single day. But she never stopped with just one thing or one person. Anyone who ever came within her presence left as a changed person. How unique is that? Have you had someone in your life that lived that way?

Everyone today talked about the impact she had on them. It was definitely inspiring but it left me wanting to recommend to everyone that they practice what she preached every day as she did. To follow her example. To be a guardian of at least one other human being. To let others know every day that they are loved and are worth gold no matter what others may say. That brings a person’s spirits up more than anything else you could do for them. Love and respect are worth so much more than money. Money comes and goes but with self-respect comes confidence and with confidence you can further yourself and be all you want to be. This is what she did for everyone near her with just a look, just a smile, just a word.

She would do so much more though. She would help you see what you need to do to achieve whatever you wanted. She never gave up on you and never criticized you if you didn’t get it the first time. She was always there nudging you along with more education (not really advice but guidance). She’d hold your mental hands and was always there in case you needed some shoring up while you got back on track.

Everyone who has come in contact with Dr. Kunath has a responsibility to spread her love, light and knowledge as far as they can and to as many people as they can. It’s not enough to just talk about remembering someone although that’s important. But the real test of a legacy is continuing to keep her spirit alive by doing the same things she did. Each of us can have a positive impact on others every single day of their lives. Every morning when we wake up we should set the intention of somehow touching at least one other person that day. In that way we will keep her essence alive.

As her daughter said today – Dr. Kunath is present elsewhere. Her spirit is that of love and she exemplified love for everyone and anyone better than most famous people.

Today’s Gratitudes:
I am grateful that I was able to go to this wonderful service

I am grateful that my squirrels have not yet gotten to the bird seed

I am grateful that my windshield wipers worked even though they won’t turn off now….age does things to each of us