Today contained one of those serendipitous moments that I credit to my HP. I had to look up the definition of serendipity before I could publish this post though. Does that ever happen to you? You hear a word used for years and understand it from the context in which it's said but if asked to define it you come up blank? That happens to me a lot.Anyway, I've been sick since last week. I've been trying to shake it off, waiting for my immune system to do its work. Today I finally cried 'uncle' and went to the walk in clinic to get a throat swab. Let's hope this doesn't need antibiotics as I'm allergic to just about every single one of them. The person attending to me said she'd have to really think hard to come up with something I could take if the swab came back positive.
She was a medical personnel I'd known of who could be a great resource for one of my health issues. Today I asked her if she'd be interested and she said yes. She doesn't take new patients but was willing to help with this particular issue. I'm grateful for that. She is a wonderful advocate and having her in my court is a gift.
I am slowly learning how to be a self advocate, too. I've often either been worried I was inconveniencing people or I was on the defensive and came across as aggressive and demanding. There is something empowering about stating needs without apology or entitlement that I am grateful to be learning.
It's something I've learned was possible through the example of people in AA quite frankly. At first when people would simply say what they thought or set boundaries without apology and without throwing a hissy fit I wanted to duck before the war errupted. When there wasn't one (and I'm not saying this is normal or 100% happenstance in AA, cause I don't speak for AA, this is just my experience)it became a possibility for me, too.
So today I did a bit of a happy dance, sore throat and all.
Photo Credit
5 comments:
Hope, I know exactly what you mean about AA teaching you to state your needs without apology or defensive entitlement. There is also the use of what I call the golden silence...saying your piece and shutting your mouth to allow the other person to think in peace about what you have said. People don't feel comfortable with silence. It's funny. I wish you well, my friend.
Not only does that happen to me, that I have to look up a word I have used and heard for years to help myself define it and assure myself I am using it correctly, today, when I saw the first sentence of your post in my blog reader summary, I thought HP stood for a HP printer! I do know better! In my defense, I have been having issues with my HP (printer) so that is where my mind went!
I do hope you get to feeling better.
Great post, and wonderful quote. I've always felt that serendipity is the way our HP can work in our lives. Lining up the right people in our path. The trick is, being plugged in enough to recognize them. Hope your throat feels better soon.
(BTW...my security word is flum..which is like phlem..which I found somewhat serendipitous...our at least ironic.)
Poor Hope. Sounds like you've got the same horrible cold that running rampant in these parts. Sending you some cyber chicken soup. :)
You have such an incredible knack for describing the human condition. Perfectly apropos that C.S.Lewis quote above.
Hope you feel better soon.
Mich
Hi Hope - Nice post - thanks for the cred.
Serendipity is hard to define. In fact, it's one of the 10 English words that were rated "hardest to define" in 2004.
I think that Campbell quote is pretty close. I like to think Serendipity is when our intentions manifest in our reality.
Hope that soar throat is feeling better....
~murfdipitiy
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