May this year be filled with moments of mindfulness, compassion, and growth.
Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…
My four-year-old grandson was diagnosed with a serious and chronic condition 10 months ago.
The outpouring of help and support at the beginning has dwindled to a trickle.
The goal of this letter is to remind readers that there are many helpful things they can do to assist families, like my daughter’s, to not feel so alone.
Send a text with a beautiful photo or funny meme, call and ask how they are doing, pick up a prescription or grocery order, drop off something to eat, set up a playdate with the children. Be empathetic. Let the family know you care.
When there is a chronic condition, every single day is a struggle with the unknown. EVERYONE in the family is affected.
Their entire life revolves around keeping their child safe.
The courage and devotion of my daughter and son-in-law is beautiful.
Even in the midst of all of the unknown, they find time to be playful with their children and to have as normal a life as possible.
Please reach out and let someone know you care. Thank you!
Dear Grandma: Your helpful suggestions apply to many different situations. When a family is in crisis, they start walking down a very lonely road. Keeping in regular contact and offering (and delivering) practical assistance will help this family to feel less alone.
The subject of the off-duty veterinarian left me particularly unnerved and disappointed.
I was raised as a preacher’s son. My parents instilled in me and my three brothers a desire to serve others regardless of the task. They lived a life of service and, as a result, a life of joy, love and contentment.
I am an optometrist. I have NEVER turned down an opportunity to answer a sincere question from anyone at any time of day, week or year. My partner and I have provided 24/7 emergency eye care when needed and have seen patients in the middle of the night or on Christmas Day when necessary. We provide our personal cellphone numbers to anyone who asks. I want them to call, and it is never a bother!
Any profession or employment can be just a way to make a living. As such, we tend to draw a line to avoid doing anything that does not fit neatly into the job description. Ideally, though, any job can become a calling. With a calling comes a higher, more fulfilling purpose than simply getting a paycheck. Ironically, the “called” tend to make more money, even though worldly success is not the prime motivating factor.
When one feels “called,” one is never truly “off-duty.” On vacation with my wife and daughters, I noticed a woman at a rest stop with one hand over her eye. She felt as if something flew into her eye, and she was in pain. I had one of my daughters find a Q-tip, and I was able to remove the foreign body right there in the rest area. I was on vacation! I did not have to get involved. But to me, it is inhumane, insensitive and selfish not to.
My message to the vet is that if you cannot see your job as helping others at any time and place, then find a new career. To the physician, shame on you. Why would you want to do less? Is this the callous world we now live in?
This is the world we’ve always lived in; it’s not callous to have limits, though we were all admittedly too flippant about them in the column; and no, no, nooooo, do not urge perfectly good veterinarians and doctors to quit!
One reason for shortages is that we’re grinding our skilled helpers to a nub: burying them in debt just for a chance to tend to our needs, then burying them in our needs, tied in a bow of red tape. Don’t add impossibly high expectations, please.
If we won’t address their costs and caseloads, then at least we can think twice before accosting them in the buffet line — and take “call me Monday” for an answer.
No one is suggesting people buzz right off with their actual emergencies, at rest stops or anywhere else.
I recently came across this story “Opinion Our true feelings about race and identity are revealed in six words” in the Washington Post, and my thoughts range from how powerful to damn it why could I never find these postcards. I live in a major metropolitan city. Though this is not about me as a woman of color, it’s about all of us as a race. I also have been thinking about what my six words would be. They have changed in conversations with friends and family, and a few trusted colleagues. Though in the end, the image on this post sums it up “Still more work to be done.” For those who push and wonder what mine is, what keeps coming back to me is “I am not the fu-king exception!” What are your six words about race? You can leave them in the comments, or on Michelle’s website, or start a conversation with those in your life. I will keep this conversation going by sending everyone a copy of her book for their birthday, anniversary, or just because.
There are various reasons people think school kids should have their cellphones with them in class. Most of those reasons are pretty lame.
Topping the list of justifications is the desire of parents to be able to communicate with their children at any given moment. Sorry, 21st century moms and dads, but helicopter parenting needs to be grounded.
But what if there is a school shooting? As horrific as such incidents may be, they are very rare. Students are at far greater risk of falling behind in class because their little brains are diverted by TikTok or a string of messages from a girlfriend.
Another pro-cellphone argument is that, without their phones handy, kids will not become adept at technology. Give me a freakin’ break. No one thinks young people spend too little time engaged with cellphones and all manner of other screens that connect them with the glories, perils and seductions of cyberspace.
Though there are occasional legitimate uses for cellphones in the classroom when students are under the direction of a teacher, the last thing America’s rising generation needs is more distraction. Above all else, the kids need to learn how to pay attention.
If that can be accomplished, Mom and Dad, you really don’t need to worry about tracking your child every minute of the day. They will do just fine. – David Horsey
