Thursday, December 10, 2009

Thursday Evening

I bought these little hand painted canvas things to hang to the left of my front door. I normally have a hand painted little wooden sled which says "let it snow" on it, but this year I wouldn't care to tempt fate and hang that thing, so I wanted to try something different. I thought those little canvas things were innocuous enough.

The days at work are getting very weird. Two of the three closing units have discharged their last patients, closed out their charts and changed their locks. Very very sad. One unit still has thirteen patients they have no idea where to place and 21 days to find a place for them. Very very sad. My assistant's last day is on Monday. I will give her her final evaluation and take her out for lunch and then collect her keys - and say goodbye for the last time - after 28 years. Holy crap. I can't change the outcome, but maybe I can soften the edges of a hard, hard day for somebody by being kind. I know that the kindness of a person can make all the difference in the world.

I know I have told this here before, but I think it bears repeating. I read this in an article in Vanity Fair in 2001 - which I wish I had kept. The article was about suicides - jumpers off the Golden Gate Bridge. One person left a note. It simply said "I am walking to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump."

I could write a book about that, but I am sure you get the point.

So, here is a smile, packed with love, for you all.
:)

12 comments:

Ed G. said...

Thanx for the smile and back atcha...

Blessings and aloha...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your victorious walk. Many of us believe that God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.That was the message that Rbby Thacher gave to Bill Wilson; and it is quoted in the Big Book and paraphrased in the Promises. I thank God in the name of Jesus Christ for enabling me to be delivered from the curse of alcoholism. See Big Book, p. 191.
God Bless,Dick B. www.dickb.com

Pammie said...

Oh how I pray that I would be that one person.

dAAve said...

I smile for you - Argentina.

Scott W said...

Sometimes all it takes is a smile.

Mary Christine said...

Thank you for your lecture Dick B. I have also read AA history, and I believe that Mr. Thacher's first name was Ebby.

Hope said...

Simple kindnesses can make such a difference. Thank you for the reminder.

Lou said...

Thank you. That is a powerful message I will never forget. If everyone thought every day about that note..I wonder how many lost souls would change their minds.

Shannon said...

I know amazing what a little kindness does to the human spirit
have a good Friday sorry so much is going on

Mary LA said...

I think so often of the poet John Berryman throwing himself off the Washington Bridge, Minneapolis, in 1972 after a relapse.

Let's keep smiling --

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for sharing this, Mary. I work in a very dreery depressing,negative atmosphere at work. There is one electrician that is always smiling! I have not been able to bust him in a frown yet. The other day I thanked him for that. Putting on my smiley face!

Syd said...

I think that a smile and a cheerful Hello is a great thing to do and I do that as many times a day as possible.