Well, Calypso is in the hospital again. She will be there at least a couple of days. She is disheartened and tired. I won't lie, so am I. I have to give a shout out to a nurse manager who finally took me seriously and sought out the answers no one else was giving me. She advocated with me for Calypso to see a competent doctor who carefully answers questions and made the decision to admit. I'm thankful for all of that, but I am still very tired. I'm reminding myself to continue to be aware of the good things happening in spite of the things that are wearying and worrisome. To that end here is a conversation I had with a patient who had no idea what I was going through at work yesterday (hysterical phone calls from a child and me trying to chase down doctors and answers while getting the run around). Thanks to all for the prayers, good thoughts, and well wishes. I'd appreciate any you'd continue to send our way.
The patient, we'll call him Milton, is currently going through a series of exercises to strengthen himself. One involves holding in each hand pulleys which are connected to the weight machine. He then must make a shrugging motion as he lifts. It was the end of the night, my cleaning night at work, and I was scurrying around gathering the garbage.
Milton: (exercising very deliberately as he checks his form in the mirror) Hey, Michelle, ask me a question!
Me: (giving a confused look) Huh?
Milton: (grinning like the Cheshire Cat) Ask me a question, any question at all!
Me: Uh...ok. What's the square root of 49?
Milton: (with an exaggerated shrug in his exercise and an impishly quizzical expression) I don't know!
Me: (bursting out in laughter as I continue gathering trash) Good one, Milt! Ya got me!
Milton: (giggling like a kid) Ask me another one!
Me: (chuckling and still working) What's the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Milton: (smiling ear to ear and giggling as he shrugs in exercise again) I don't know! Ask me another! Ask me another!
Me: (laughing and dumping another bin into the big garbage bag) What's the meaning of life?
Milton: (pauses in silence then looks over his shoulder at me)
Me: (looking up to see if he heard my question)
Milton: (seeing he has made eye contact drops his voice to a gentle tone) That's easy...to love.
Me: (struck to my core) You're absolutely right, Milton. Thank you, first for the laughter, then for the truth. You made my night.
22 comments:
A simple and direct answer that is so correct it is mind boggling. And to think hyper-educated fools spend years in philosophy classes debating this subject.
Wow Michelle - that's the way to lay it down! I'm glad I'm not your dog! :-) Well done though, and don't fear about letting it out on your blog. We all need to let loose sometimes. I wish you and your daughter good treatment and success, and a successful recovery.
The word "angel" means "messenger." They say that angels are separate, distinct beings, although pure spirits. Maybe so. I wouldn't know about that. It's not something I think about much.
I do believe that sometimes we are called to be angels ourselves, messengers....
Glad you met one.
Please thank Milton for me for that reminder.
Well, God bless Milton. . . Those 'Bolts of Truth' that come out of the clear blue sky remind us of what's real, don't they?
And, uh - is the swallow climbing, diving, or flying straight-and-level? ;)
Still praying for you and Calypso. . .
WordVer = 'refir'. . . Does that mean I need a new Christmas tree, or is it an invitation to 'toke up'? ("And I say, 'no, no, no, no, I don't smoke it no mo'. . .") (*ahem* as if I ever did. . .)
;)
Rock on...
Love??? I thought it was 42.
Thank goodness for Milton!
Sending healing thoughts for your lovely girl. ♥
Isn't it wonderful when we get the message? I believe that God always sends us good word, in a variety of ways, but we are so often tangled up with our own preconceptions and thoughts that we fail to get the message. You are more attuned than many, IMVHO, so you get it more than most. Last night, you got it again.
My prayers said, of course. Hope all becomes better soon.
Did you hear him right? I mean, are you sure you heard "to love?" Could he have said "true love" instead? Then again, it might not have been true love at all, but rather, "to blave" which, as we all know, means to bluff. Was he a gambler?
Oh, and the next time you see Milton, you can tell him that the square root of 49 is 7. . .
;)
You ask tough questions
(-:
I hope Calypso feels better soon and you get some answers!
May there be many more Milton's in the world.
p.s. I think there are, they just need to speak up more, just like Milton did.
Thinking of you and Calypso, and wishing you well :)
Love it.
Healing vibes for Calypso.
Thinking of you and yours. Keep to the path.
without a shadow of a doubt, you are a blessing to have on the blogging community, so it is then worth tenfold to have you in real life.
peace in your mind, body and spirit as you are such a gracious writer and a joy to read.
What kind of swalow - African or European?
You are a special person Michelle. You have the right spirit and attitude about it all too.
How is it going? Is there an update?
A heart melting conversation. :)
Prayers for Calypso and you.
I see now that your eventual book will come out of stories of patient interactions...kind of a TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE AT THE CHIROPRACTOR.
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