“At the end of the day, I have to remember that my blessings outweigh my problems.”
This week involved yet another medical journey for me and even though I have been on several of those over the years, I still find myself frightened by the unknown. I think that it is only natural to feel that way…
In a medical situation you are literally putting yourself in the hands of strangers and you must learn how to let go and trust that everything will work out…Not easy to do…
So instead of concentrating on my fears, I tried to turn the situation into opportunities to discover hidden blessings.
As I sat in the waiting room at the hospital with my brother I did some “people watching”, which, even though I’m an introvert, I find to be a very enjoyable activity.
I imagined what each person’s story must be…an elderly couple walking hand in hand, each with their own cane but using each other as their support…As I looked at them I thought of my own parents and their dedication and devotion to one another, through all of life’s challenges…
A son was pushing his father in a wheelchair while he tightly squeezed a pillow shaped ironically, like a heart, on his chest. Looking at him I remembered the chest pain after my own open-heart procedure back in 1999 called a thymectomy. Every time you cough for the first month, you need a pillow to squeeze to lighten the impact on your chest…I said a little prayer for him under my breath…
A young mother with a baby in a stroller and a toddler holding onto her hand, are directed to the recovery room, guided by a kind-hearted hospital staff member…
A few minutes later that same staff member reminds another cluster of young children at the fish tank that they need to use their inside voices and quiet walking feet in the hospital.
A golf cart drives by, up and down the corridor, helping people get to their destinations, while ABBA’s greatest hits play from its speakers…just loud enough to let others know where they are when they come around a corner…
Then I saw my surgeon coming out to talk to a patient’s family member and afterwards he stopped to speak with us and he apologized for the delay in my surgery, due to an unforeseen emergency.
It wasn’t long before I went back to get ready for my own procedure. I was blessed to have a wonderful nurse who not only did her job well, she made me feel comfortable in a very stressful situation. She was good with veins (a definite plus for me) and we exchanged stories about growing up on a farm…an experience that, in today’s world, is harder to find in common with others…
My brother Pat did a great job of trying to keep my mind occupied while the wait turned from minutes into hours. He talked about a variety of topics…just like our Dad would have… “Connors conversations” are the best in the world…
And then the scariest part happened…being wheeled into surgery and literally having other people handle my body, attaching sensors, wiring, unknown tubes and gadgets…all of the beeping (I hate all of the beeping) and all you can do is just look up at them and smile…and let go…breathe deep, Sheila…relax…
In life there are certain situations where all you can do is let go…breathe deep…relax…and then start focusing…Focusing on how lucky you are to be here. Focusing on the future and how each day you can make a positive difference…Focusing on all the blessings you already have…
And having faith that everything will work out in the end…and remembering that you are never really alone because love surrounds us - even in a room full of strangers…
What do you think?
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Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:
This week’s Smile video…
Twenty-eight years ago, Lynn Bartos helped nurse a young girl with a life-threatening intestinal problem back to health. Now Bartos has become a patient herself, battling Rheumatoid arthritis, and there's a familiar face providing her with care. Steve Hartman went "On the Road" to tell their story.
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
Remembering my Mom…
This week marks the two year anniversary of my mother’s passing. I still miss her every day. To read more about who this special lady was, feel free to read last year’s newsletter essay entitled Living Out Legacies.
And that’s a good thing…
My son Michael shared with me this video clip of the singer Jelly Roll making an acceptance speech at the 2023 CMA awards ceremony. His message, that it's never too late to start following your dreams, leaves the audience moved to tears of joy…and that’s a good thing…
What I am reading…
This week I started listening to Louise Hay’s book entitled, “You Can Heal Your Life”. Her positive affirmations have always been helpful for me and when I am not feeling the best, I listen to her books or watch her recordings on YouTube.
The Amazon description is as follows: “You Can Heal Your Life has transformed the lives of millions of people. This is a book that people credit with profoundly altering their awareness of the impact that the mind has on health and wellbeing.
In this inspirational limited edition gift book by the late world-renowned bestselling author and self-help pioneer Louise Hay, you’ll find profound insight into the relationship between the mind and the body.
Exploring the way that limiting thoughts and ideas control and constrict us, she offers us a powerful key to understanding the roots of our physical dis-eases and discomforts. Full of positive affirmations, this practical guidebook will change the way you think forever!
Louise Hay, bestselling author, is an internationally known leader in the self-help field. Her key message is: "If we are willing to do the mental work, almost anything can be healed."
Mind/Body Connections…
Best-selling author Louise Hay is known as the "Queen of Affirmations", and knows better than anybody the power of positive focus. Her book "You Can Heal Your Life" has sold over 50 million copies worldwide!
But there's one thing she knows for sure...only focusing on the positive and ignoring the negative things going on in your life, both present and past, won't make your problems go away.
As she puts it..."If You're Going to Clean a House, You Need to See the Dirt..."
We all have "stuff" that we're dealing with at any point in our life. Financial challenges, emotional ups and downs, relationship problems, and so much more. It's all a natural part of life.
How we address those issues, find their root causes, and "clean them up" as quickly as possible are what make all the difference.
In this video, Louise will share with you how to go about balancing the "clean up" work with the use of Tapping and how to then get back to the positive with life-changing affirmations.
Most people make some extremely common mistakes when it comes to this "inner work" that leaves them frustrated and running in circles. In this video she shares how to create a simple shift in perspective that can wipe these challenges away in seconds.
Comedy Lift…
I love to share funny cartoons or memes with friends and family. Who doesn’t need to smile? Here’s this week’s Comedy Lift…
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s Stand By Me by Ben E. King...Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….