Tag Archives: inspirational

What were they thinking?

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Seriously. What do other people think? As most of you know I spent some time in my local hospital. As a result, I came into contact with a lot of different people, strangers to me. There were the doctors of course and the nurses, patients, cleaning staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapist, technicians, the list is endless.  All those people came together to make my stay, perhaps not enjoyable, but beneficial. And as I looked into their faces, I wondered… were they thinking?

I saw an elderly woman facing an uphill climb, literally. They were teaching her to do stairs again. I saw her face as she looked at the edifice in front of her. I tried to engage her but either she wasn’t in the right place emotionally or she didn’t speak the language. So, I smiled and nodded my head. She didn’t react. I wondered what was going through her mind. Was she sad, annoyed or maybe just indifferent?

I saw man who had lost both of his legs at different points. He didn’t hide his injury nor did he flaunt it. He faced his new reality and he didn’t flinch. He smiled and he joked with the staff. He smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up. It made me feel good. He was not a young man but he wasn’t done with life either.

We often judge other people based on what we see, not on what we know. That does us a disservice. People who look at us can’t know what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling. They only see what we choose for them to see. I think we do it for protection. But by shutting ourselves off, we miss so much.

As we journey through our day, we meet dozens perhaps hundreds of people, and sometimes only one or two. Each person that we interact with is a potential. Potential what you ask? Well, a potential friend, a potential business associate, a potential confidant. We can’t know who or what someone is until we have spent time with them. And perhaps the time we don’t spend with them is the missed opportunity.

I wonder about all the people I met. I know they affected me. I may not know exactly in what way but I believe I am a better person for having gone through the experience and for the people I met. These past weeks are not something I’m going to forget in a hurry and maybe that’s a good thing.

Thank you so much for all the best wishes I received. I may not have mentioned it at the time but it made a difference.

 

 

 

The Painter

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Our celestial painter

Works wonders below

The colours, the textures

Are not all for show.

Brilliant night skies

with twinkling lights

A miracle of wonder

In everyone’s sights.

Our heavenly painter

Chose His canvas with care

He shows us restraint

And a bit of His flare.

Nature is the medium

His strokes are so broad

And yet gentle and focused

Of course, He is God!

All Nature is colour

Subtle tints and some hues

Constantly changing

To our different views.

Oceans are blueish

With some gentle greens

More colours below

In those coral machines.

A sunrise or sunset

Such a beautiful sight

Violet, orange and red,

The shades are just right.

 

A gentle hand guides

This palette’s new phase

With heavenly hues

Each day we give praise.

#Baywatch

23 Replies

I recently rediscovered this show from the 1990s.  It is about a group of lifeguards in Los Angles, California. At its height this show was, quite frankly, a phenomenon.  It had a worldwide following and was on the air for more than 10 years. I am pretty sure I watched it when it aired but I remember very little of it.

As I was watching a few episodes I started to notice a number of things. At its heart it was a drama about lifeguards and it showed them in the most heroic manner.  It also highlighted what was most important in life. It showed good people caring about others. It showed people doing the right thing, even when it hurt.  It highlighted the importance of telling the truth and of honesty and compassion. I think it is as relevant today as it was titillating in the 90s.

When people talked about Baywatch they always commented on the skimpy bathing suits and the women running down the beach (in slow motion) with their bits jiggling away. They talked about how good-looking the lifeguards were and how their muscles  glistened and their hair was… Yes, the focus of the audience was on the surface.

It was fun, it was pure escapism, it was Hollywood.  It wasn’t high drama or even politically correct by today’s standards.  I believe we all need a little mindless distraction.  Isn’t it so much better when that mindless distraction actually has a message underneath and one that is so positive? David Hasselhoff was the main character and he is still known for that show. Several other actors started on Baywatch and went on to have quite successful careers. Putting aside all the jingling, it’s nice to see lifeguards portrayed as more than pretty bimbos. They even had an actual LA lifeguard as one of the regular cast. He had a career as a lifeguard for over 20 years.

The show put me in mind of Aesop‘s fables. There is a story on the surface but there’s a message imbedded. I remember those fables as a child and the lessons they taught me. Maybe Baywatch is a grown-up version.