Saturday 24 January 2009

what we take for granted

How much do we appreciate nice people being nice, going out of their way, or just being kind? Especially when we are frazzled, worried (about something they did not do and have no power over). That happened to me today and two people were so lovely to me – let me say that people are normally lovely to me – and it’s something I appreciate every day – a lot.

I had to go BACK to the hospital (the entire time being appreciative of the fact that I am a person with insurance, in a country with excellent medical care and I CAN go to the hospital) today for the ultrasound of the thyroid and a chest x-ray and I was more afraid than I admitted to myself I think. The “C” word is scary stuff, no matter where they find it eh? Even if they are only looking for it!

There was a lady at the x-ray department who came out to tell me why there was a delay – NOT her job, but very reassuring. There was a young man who helped me jolly myself out of frustration with the cable/internet company while trying to complete the simple chore of securing my new network – while we were dealing with talking over the sound of the water-sucking device my landlord was using in the bathroom! I was laughing by the end, and told him to take the rest of the day off!

So be nice to the next cranky or worried person you encounter, and thank the next nice person to do so for you eh?

Did you hear about the “Google dip”? Apparently from the beginning to the end of the Inaugural Address by the new president we all pushed back from our keyboards to listen! An immediate spike followed. How cool is that?

Keep safe and well my lovely readers, I think about all our health these days – really take this body for granted when it’s working… I'm documenting as much as I can about my experiences as I know when we are feeling well enough (you know who you are) we put off going to the doctor. Perhaps something that happens here will help some of you.

Ciao

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry to read that you are having health problems. That was a good time to find some 'nice' people. Could be me and my 'old lady' frustrations but I find many folk are tired and cranky and afraid and the young seem not to care. Generalisations stink,I know that it is the few that tarnish the many, but for reasons I do really understand we all seem to be more insular. Receive a kindness? Pass it on.My new slogan.
Get well.

jmb said...

People can be amazing when you least expect it. But of course it is easy to be pleasant and helpful to the " nice" people. Real heroism is being pleasant to the not so nice people.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

So sorry you are going through all this, Lady M. I do know exactly how you feel. I, too, was very grateful for the kindnesses I received. You do well to post on this.

I Beatrice said...

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... "

This line - which as everyone knows, opens Dickens’ novel Tale of Two Cities” - seems to me to be almost equally apposite to what you are presently going through in your own life. You seem to have had the best of times (for which I am so very glad!); and now you are experiencing, if not the worst of times, then at least some that are causing you a great deal of discomfort and anxiety.

I have been through this particular mill myself recently, and I do feel for you most sincerely. I admire your way of handling it, too – which is with your characteristic courage, almost with gaiety indeed! You are an example to us all, and I wish you very, very well, in all things.

And now, here is how Dickens went on from those opening words. I love the writing – not sure about his punctuation, but it seems to work. And it struck me too, as being remarkably pertinent to our own time. I guess the truth is, that when a writer is very good indeed, he can punctuate as he damned well likes - and his work is likely to be pertinent to almost any time.

Here is the rest of the passage:

".... it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled for ever....."

Ah, Dickens....! What would we do without him?

My thoughts and best hopes are with you more than ever just now.

lady macleod said...

Moannie
Hopefully I'm having the sort of problems that will sort themselves out - that's what I'm postulating!
I love your new slogan.
thank you for coming by.


jmb
Indeed my friend. thank you for coming by.


welshcakes
I know you do know! I'm being very positive until given real reason not to be!
thank you for coming by.


i beatrice
Ah, my favourite book! Thank you for your sentiments and well wishes, and thank you for stopping by.