A RECOMMENDATION: Keep “Aspirin” in your medicine cabinet for physical aches and pains. Save “Thank You Notes” in a drawer for emotional aches and pains. Both can be helpful when someone beats up on you! – R.
Please enjoy personal messages conveyed to me over the years of providing support to others:
MAC AND CHEESE
“We can’t thank you enough for spending time with our Mom in the hospital. She was transferred to the hospital for her refusal to eat at the nursing home and we thought she’d never get better. Your visit with her getting her to talk about her favorite dish — mac and cheese, did the trick. She told us how you ordered up from the kitchen some mac and cheese on the spot–it wasn’t as good as her recipe, but it did the trick. She started eating again! Thanks, too, for the heads-up to the social worker at the nursing home. Mom felt much better about going back there. Of course, she’s not happy you’re not going with her.”
COMFORT AWAY FROM HOME
“It was such a comfort for us to just have your company through the night before we lost our Mom. Being from New York, we didn’t know a soul here. While you sat on the floor in the hospital corridor almost all night long with us, you made it seem like we had a life long friend at our side the whole time. Thank you so much and God bless you!” –A daughter and son-in-law
A GENTLE TOUCH
A Physician’s note: “My patient [late 20’s] told me how much your visits meant to him. He said you were the only one who dared to touch him [stroked his hair] since he was diagnosed with AIDS and his family out of fear refused to visit him. I know how much that gentle act meant to him.” –Dr. E
A GUARDIAN ANGEL
“I know you were taken by surprise, but I felt you were the obvious choice to offer the homily at the Mass for these kids’ father–your story about St. Bartholomew was ideal–and I hope you realize you have been their Guardian Angel for the past few weeks. You should have been a Priest!” -Fr.J [Funeral Mass for a patient (late 40s) who died leaving his teenage children orphaned. Fr. J agreed to offer a free funeral Mass since I offered to provide the music–but then he “roped me in” to doing the homily as well as the music. Days later, these amazing children walked three miles to my hospital office to present me with a touching homemade card of appreciation.]
A YOUNG MOM’S MESSAGE-
A young cancer patient’s recorded message left for me: “Your visits with me were so appreciated, but the most comforting thing was your looking after [young husband and children]. I worry about [husband], but he promised me he would stick with you to help him through this and I know you’ll help get him through this with the kids. I hope you find my brother and get him back to the family. I want you to know how much I appreciated all you’ve done for us no matter what happens. I just completed my memory tapes for the kids. I know I will be at peace when you hear this. Thank you and know I love ya.”
THE GIFT OF A RAINBOW
“I almost hung up before you answered. I truly believed I couldn’t bear to go on living and I was ready to end it all. I had put your card on my dresser and looked at your number for months. I’ll never know what brought me to use it this time, but I did! This gift [below] is for leading me to the rainbow!”
[for 35 years now, a hand embroidered picture that reads, “The Soul would have no rainbow, had the eye no tear,” resides on my living room wall. It’s creator: This courageous and extraordinary young man (late 20’s) who appeared in my office waiting room one Christmas eve presented it to me. He said it took him a year to make it. I will always cherish this gift, made by an extremely gifted person. I’m so glad he forgave others for the hurt they imposed on him–freeing him to allow his own internal guidence system to keep him strong. I hope he kept my “Thank You” note.]