Tag Archives: feeling grateful

Kicking Myself in the Pants

Tiny Buddha

I’ve been feeling sorry for myself lately because I have lost a lot of my friends, or that many of the ones I have are having really tough times. Not just ‘aquaintances,’ or ‘nice people to pal around with,’ but long-term true friends, those deep-in-the-gut friends you have shared with over many, many years, who you would drop everything and go help when possible, and know that they would do it for you, as well.

I have received texts and emails, and even obits lately and just felt sadder and sadder.

All of a sudden, though, it occurred to me that I need to give myself a swift kick (or maybe more) in the pants!

Just as I FINALLY changed the focus of our visits to Harvey from MY changed lifestyle and plans to how can we help HIM have a brighter day when we are there – what can we do to make him more comfortable, what can we remind him of that might bright a smile to his face, what can we show him that might give him a beautiful memory –

I need to realize that this isn’t about ME. The world does not revolve around me or my feelings. And if it DID – I should be thanking the powers that be that I had the privilege of KNOWING these fine people. I got to share their lives for a beautiful time. I received love from them, and gave it back in return. What more beautiful gift is there?

Nothing lasts forever. We should be mindful of that, showing those we love in every way we can think of how much they mean to us. How joyful we are to share some time with them. How lucky we feel to know them and occupy the same planet. How rich we feel and how full our hearts are.

There are people who go through life never making a close friend. They feel alone, that there is no one who might help them if needed. They feel empty inside, maybe hurting or numb, maybe afraid to reach out and take a chance. These are the people we should feel sorry for.

Yes I will miss these people, but how rich I have been in friends! How many kind hearts and souls I have known! I will concentrate on the memories we built, thankful that we had a special bond. I will carry them in my heart, and in my pockets wherever I go. I will let the current friends I have know how I feel – maybe until they ask me to stop – that it’s embarrassing them. That would simply make me smile. What a lucky person I am!

Envato

6 Comments

Filed under Attitude

A Small Thank You

While we were at the hospital, Brian ordered several things to be delivered to the condo receiving area, including some dinner for us.

He was primarily ordering things to give to the two men who work in the parking area of the building who he had to wake up for help the night my husband had his stroke and needed an ambulance. They called for one, got the people up to our place, helped get Harvey on a stretcher and into the ambulance. How do you ‘thank’ people for going above and beyond like that, in the middle of the night when they are not on duty?

We got home and hauled everything upstairs to his condo. We came down to our air bnb and ate dinner, then went back up to divide the gifts between two big bags. We got things like three kinds of fancy nuts, some soup, some tomato type drink in an 8 pack, fancy coffee, and a big heavy box Brian says is a food Thai people love, plus cans of tuna. We also got a music playing thing for both of them to share. I think that’s it.

We went down toward the parking area and found the first man doing duty in the office/control area for the building. We thanked him profusely, Brian speaking Thai, and me trying to pronounce ‘thank you’ in my awful, but sincere, Thai accent – “cawp coon, CA!” bowing and putting my hands together. The man seemed to be saying the equivalent of ‘I was just doing my job,’ or “it wasn’t much,” but we knew differently. We left him starting to open the big bag.

We found the 2nd man on duty at his post at the front and to the side of the parking area and repeated our actions.

We felt good to be able to personally thank the two men face to face so they knew how special we think they are. There is simply no way to thank someone when they help through a traumatic situation to get help for someone you love.

8 Comments

Filed under kindness, Thoughts on a ________