Life just happens…
It’s that dreaded phonecall at 4am.
You reassure a worried parent that you’re on the way. Collect your sibling then drive across the country in an orange weather warning to the hospital.
The tests, the waiting. The relief when you see your loved one.
You all know how much I love nurses , healthcare assistants & catering in hospitals. They raise spirits and keep the morale high.
They are very special and precious human beings, that take care of our special & precious human beings!
Covid had finally caught up with my mum and the level of care she received and the kindness of all the staff at sligo general hospital will not be forgotten.
It got me thinking about kindness.
It costs nothing to have patience , to say a kind word , to listen.
The pandemic has brought out the worst and the best in us as a people.
I see a rise in entitlement, rudeness and cancel culture mentality. Yet on the other hand I see bravery , solidarity, compassion & advocacy.
Our decency is what makes us human. It is the most noblest trait in a human being to help another ,without any desire for personal gain whatsoever. It’s why I personally detest those charity videos where strangers shove a camera into a homeless person’s face and offer to buy them a meal etc.
I hate virtue signaling.
Do the good deed. Raise the money. Use your platform to educate.
Do not use people’s dignity to boost your sales traffic or raise your profile.
I understand the world can be a scary place. We now carry personal computers in our pockets , which gives us access to world news 24 hours a day. War & trauma are big sellers. We end up constantly fed a stream of trauma and broken bodies with no warning from live feeds at the literal centre of a battlefield. We are becoming immune to suffering.
A person can get mugged in broad daylight in certain parts of a city and nobody will get involved.
However , there are also amazing humans working on initiatives to get young people off the streets , treatment clinics , old folks meet ups and men’s sheds funded and community development projects that cater to those that are marginalised in our society.
We need to look after our elders.
In many eastern societies the elders were revered and held a sacred space for the history of their tribe / ancestors. In western culture , especially after the advent of the machine and the development of a working week, less so.
Capitalism, work, the earning of a decent wage has placed more emphasis on those that are ‘fit’ to work instead of those that life may have dealt some unfair cards toward.
Communities where you know your neighbours, have sprung up again since the pandemic. Not everyone is blessed to have good neighbors, but they are worth their weight in gold when you can rely on another.
It takes a village to raise our young and care for our elderly.
Meals on wheels, home helps , carers and volunteers that are out everyday in your local area are such a vital resource for a village to have.
If you are one of the above
Thank you
You are the lifeblood of your community and your service has not gone unnoticed.
Because of you someone feels safe tonight .
Because of you someone doesn’t feel lonely anymore
And because of you someone won’t go Hungry today.
I’m so grateful for all these amazing people that do honest work and make the world a brighter place.
We can all make a difference in the world. A smile can change someone’s day.
Kindness costs nothing.
So sprinkle that shit everywhere!!!!
Have a fantastic month
Fiona
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