The upside is that those posts were helpful to at least a few people who emailed to say that they were. People who said that they connected with the level of my own, personal torment and issue's - which, someone in my shoes (either male or female) almost always feels the same way: cheating creates a common bond, that's for sure.
I don't need the accolades or applause of hundreds or thousands, it feels just as good to be validated by one or two people. I've said it dozens of times, but often, we discount the power and the value of being touched by one person - or having touched one person. I feel like we spend our whole lives wandering the planet waiting for the approval of dozens of people - meanwhile we miss the validation of one person - when that *one* person might make all the difference.
I feel like .... at large - we don't stop to value that one act or that one person and in doing that - we are short changing ourselves and others. One person may or may be able to save the world... regardless though - one person *can* make the difference in another person's life.
Growing up I was always a bit inspired by the cop and fireman and paramedic shows - I'm always in awe that these people will run into burning buildings and dodge bullets for total strangers. We make TV shows and movies and calendars full of hot bodied fireman - and we kind of idolize them, but we truly forget the toll *our* lives can take on them.
We bitch and moan about cops who pull us over and ticket us (usually for doing things like driving too fast or cutting people off in traffic.... etc, etc) - but we sure as sh*t hope that same cop will break the speed barrier to get to our home if our husbands are out of town and we hear a noise downstairs. Being a cop must be hard. lol
I have friends who are married and are both paramedics. Knowing them, hearing their stories - the drunk people who call 911 and claim illness only to have my friends arrive and inform them that they didn't have enough money for a cab and they thought an ambulance ride would be cheaper.....
Stupid people.......
Sometimes though, their days at work are much harder.
These people don't consider *who* might actually be needing a 'real' ambulance while drunkards are getting a (very) overpriced ride to the hospital - we don't think about what we might be costing someone else.
But we're drunk.... so - you know.... free pass - right?
Recently, one of them rolled on a call for a 4 year old girl who had been hit by a car and, sadly, she didn't make it. I don't this girl, or her family... but I know my friend - and it warms my heart as a mother to know that my friend did *everything* they could for this little girl.
I know they tried every medical trick, they begged to their God, any God.... anyone.... they begged and pleaded and worked every angel they could... and then halfway to the hospital, they called time of death and it was over.
The thing is: it's not over.
There's hours of paperwork, cleaning the rig and all the rest of it... but aside from the 'work' aspect, there's the emotional one. Sure, sure... they are trained and provided with counseling - and they are professionals, so they are trained to better hand these events - at least more-so than us mere mortals.
However, I can tell you that sometimes, these events can leave their mark on a persons heart and soul. I know the loss of the little girl hit my friend particularly hard...... and it makes me a bit sad. Of course, I'm proud of my friend - and proud of the work they do and the compassion and professionalism that I knew they do their job with, but also, it worries me.
We function in a very 'me' world - I need help - someone come help me - I'm not sure we really stop to consider that the day in and day out toll that 'helping' all these people might have on those people who so willingly come running. Sure... i know they are getting paid - I know they are trained and get counseling, but that doesn't that certain events or certain situations don't leave their mark on them as humans.
I know that my friend who called the time of death on the little girl has been a bit sad about her and her death, which makes me sad.... sad for the little girl and her family - but sad for my friend whose life and heart are touched by the events of a stranger.
Of course we can't control the world - we can't stop bad things from happening... but perhaps we should appreciate - just a touch more - the people who serve us and help us and protect us... and not in the glossy pages on a half-naked calendar.
When we *need* a nurse to come to our bedside - we're alllll over hitting that button to make them run, however - if our *friends* are nurses - are we calling them to check in on them and see how they are doing? Are we letting them know *just* how much we appreciate their willing sacrifice of their time and the continued toll certain events take on their emotions? Probably not.
So.... THIS WEEK is going to be about the Power of One for me.
One Compliment - to help make someone else's day better.
One Good Deed - just to be helpful......
One Thank You - to someone in my life who affect *me* by their actions
One Stranger Thank You - to someone who affects unknown and countless others with their actions
One Act of Random Kindness - for an unknown total stranger
One Act of Kindness - for someone I *do* know.
Each day I will see who comes along or what opportunity presents itself.... and then I will blog about it. NOT because I think I'm grate or fantastic or super awesome... I'm *none* of those things, but because I think we could *all* do with a little more random kindness in our lives... and that will start, if we first share it with others.
So.... wanna' do that with me?
Pretty please?
Message me or blog comment me and tell me what you did... let's see how many rad things we can make happen!