When I worked in corporate America, I had an employee once who told me that her family hated March. For my family, that month used to be January. If anything bad was going to happen, it seemed to strike that first month. The goal was to survive those 31 days and get to the rest of the year. This year, January wasn't so bad, but boy, what I would give to have that 31-day window back and know that things could then settle back into the usual minor crises of day-to-day living. A college professor once told us that if we thought we had problems, we should listen to the person next to us and then count our silver linings (Dr. Huff was sweetie).
I was laid off in January BUT I didn't have to worry about working when my father first had his stroke AND the company I now work for has been very understanding about flexing my work hours.
My father had a fairly severe stroke which necessitates almost total care in some areas BUT I have lost 15 pounds (turns out caretaking is a great exercise program) AND he is back home AND the bathroom remodel has progressed to the point that we can now shower again AND he is still the same grumpy, feisty, smart and smart-mouthed lovable old goat albeit in a wheelchair now.
My hard drive crashed and I wasn't able to work on Sunday BUT it was right before my days off so I had a couple of days to resolve the problem AND it was the start of the pay period so I can make up the hours lost.
I haven't had time to read as much BUT I am enjoying what I do read more. It is a guilty pleasure now and I love every line I manage to sneak in throughout the day.
What silver linings do you have to help you through? I would love to share your blessings too!
Cynthia
CJP
I am trying to think of a silver lining after reading about your dad.
My mom never regained the use of her voice or limbs after a massive stroke. My sister cared for her for three years before my mom succumbed to lung cancer. I guess my positive thought would be that my 2 sons got to meet and know their grandmother through her loving eyes and facial expressions.
Also, what is the Last Lecture?
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
Good for you. You should
Good for you. You should play the Pollyanna game. I think you'd be good at it. (And if you haven't read Pollyanna, go right out and buy it and read it and smile!!)
"Perhaps what the average member of a group is capable of doesn't limit what a given individual can accomplish." -- Boston Globe, letter to the editor
March's Member of the Month!
I am not sure what my
I am not sure what my silver lining is, I will have to think on that more, but I just ordered Last Lecture from the library. I was able to order it in audio, everything I read makes me think it will inspire me and perhaps make me cry.
Last Lecture is a story of a Yale(?)'s professor''s last lecture - shich is a practice offered to professor's before leaving, a chance to lecture on their life experiences. He is dying in his 40s of cancer (pancreatic - I think) and what I have heard is that it is phenomenal.
Cady
TBR--The Born Readers
Last Lecture.
It sounds good but i probably wouldn't get it in audio since I listen to books in my car. I would hate to start crying and not be able to see the road.
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com
I do too, so it will be
I do too, so it will be interesting to see if it affects me more or less that way, however I am pretty far down on the list and likely won't get it for a while.
Cady
TBR--The Born Readers
Hey Cynthia - thanks for the recommendation
I've ordered it and should get it some time next week
the brother has told me that if it's okay with me he'd like to read it - we don't have a lot of books in common as he's still busy with his thesis on Andrew Marvell
This sounds like a very interesting book
Hugs
Sadhbh
May's Member of the Month
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
To any interested,
To any interested, http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/ is the site where you can actually see The Last Lecture being delivered via a YouTube presentation. There are also excerpts from interviews with this extraordinary person and a little bit about his book. What I like best is that he doesn't ignore reality, he just adjusts how he (we) can choose to view it.
Cynthia
Angel - I think your silver
Angel - I think your silver lining is beautiful and that your sons got to know the best parts of their grandmother. I also think the loving care that they saw being given to her by you and your sister will be a blessing they carry as well.
Cady - I had to think long and hard for my silver linings. Am hoping it gets easier with practice! I admit there are times I just want to sit down and cry (and have) AND my family is kind enough to give me some space when it happens.
Sabhdh - I would definitely call sharing something with your brother a silver lining. AND I have another box of books for you. I am sorry for taking so long to get it sent.
Cynthia
I-saw-the-Author-on-Oprah
Dr.Oz-talked-with-this-man-who-is-terminal
and-wrote-the-book,"The-Last-Lecture".He
said-he-is-determined-to-spend-the-last
days-of-his-life-on-earth-having-fun.
Aurelene
I have some guilt.
CJP- My youngest sister was my mom's primary caregiver as my family was stationed in MS then MO during my mom's last 3 yrs in Las Vegas. I visited as much as I could with my boys in school and my hubby being deployed here and there. My boys actually thought grandma's wheelchair was pretty cool.
I sometimes wonder if I should have just moved me and the boys to Vegas but that would not have been very practical. (My hubby never thought that was an option.)There are nine of us kids so there was plenty of emotional assistance that other families don't have. My sister did devote her life to my mother for those years and I can never repay that.
You are doing a wonderful thing by taking care of your father. Knowing that someone honors and cares for their parent is profoundly moving to me. When times are tough know that this community is here for you as well.
Angel
"I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts
www.angelinabarbin.blogspot.com