Places in the Heart

I have two...

My very first major was pre-nursing but due to family members saying I wasn't brave enough to become a nurse (too timid/meek) I changed majors. Years later I used that as motivation...

...When I was 16, a day before my 17th birthday, I decided to do something stupid and threatened to cut my arm. ... This negative situation is the primary reason for me working in psych and continuing to become a psych-NP.

Excellent examples, Shookclays! You overcame adversity in order to pursue a drive within you to follow your calling!

Well, at least that's my interpretation- Do feel or believe that your nursing career was a calling? I sense a calling to nobler cause as a result of your adversities.

The mentioning of your mistreatment as an adolescent inpatient reminded me, however not on the same level of severity as yours, of a situation when I was recovering from the motorcycle accident. My right leg was in traction and I had casts on both arms.

A nurse told me that I needed to be given an enema the day after I had had one with good results. I questioned its administration but she replied, "The doctor ordered it!"

So I took it, waited, called for the nurse when I felt Mt Vesuvius was going to erupt, waited and waited and rang for the nurse and capped all over myself.

The humiliation of that situation, both being incontinent of bowel and the subsequent hygienic measures, made such an impression on me that I carry the memory from time to time to this day. No patient under my care will suffer humiliation due to being incontinent. Having worked in both LTC and geriatric psych, I've been blessed with many opportunities to practice my stance.

We have both been blessed, on varying levels, to light candles rather than to curse the darkness, Shookclays.

Yes, but I couldn't say much more than that without being overly personal.

Some time ago, Sour Lemon, after reading one of your posts, I sent you a PM stating, "I like your style".

Although I don't always agree with your opinion, I respect the magnitude of thought which is obviously behind the words.

There's a certain sweetness in the sourness, so to speak- although your waters are not still, they still run deep.

We have both been blessed, on varying levels, to light candles rather than to curse the darkness, Shookclays.

I do not have a personal testimony in this regard...but, for whatever reason your statement about lighting candles rather than cursing the darkness, compelled me to offer this. An account of which I personally know to be true. A friend in my community lost her teenage son while he was working at a local convenience store during a robbery. The boy gave the robber every thing he demanded but the robber killed the boy regardless; cut his throat and left him to bleed to death - all recorded on the store video camera. Of course the woman was devastated. But after a period of time she surprised all who were acquainted with her and all who had only "heard" of the story by forgiving her son's murderer, face to face, and submitted an appeal to the Texas Parole Department to commute his death penalty to a life sentence, stating another death would be a crime against society. Her request was ultimately denied and he was executed by lethal injection. But she chose to light a candle.

...lighting candles instead of cursing the darkness...Thanks Davey, a good lesson, good lesson indeed.

Thanks, OldDude!

This story is incredible, to say the least.

after a period of time she surprised all who were acquainted with her and all who had only "heard" of the story by forgiving her son's murderer, face to face, and submitted an appeal to the Texas Parole Department to commute his death penalty to a life sentence, stating another death would be a crime against society.

This is true forgiveness, the likes of which are rarely seen.

On a related note, I've always wondered why those who have lost a loved one due to the actions of another would want the culprit dead. It seems they would be sending the culprit to the same place as the loved one. I would prefer to have the culprit stay around on this level of reality to suffer along with the rest of us.

According to Edgar Cayce, there are eight different levels of reality, so if we believe that concept, the culprit would be sent to a different level of reality than the loved one, so that makes sense.

According to Edgar Cayce, there are eight different levels of reality

This may be a bit off topic, but this story illustrates one reason why my parents definitely have a place in my heart:

My Dad always had a wonderful vegetable garden and we would enjoy the fresh fruits of his labor during the summer. But I don't like beets. My Ex, Kris, was a vegetarian and enjoyed all vegetables.

Kris and I were having dinner with my Mom and Dad on one occasion when my Mom commented on a card I had sent to the daughter of a family friend who had attempted suicide and was an inpatient on an adolescent psych unit. The daughter's Mom told my Mom to thank me for the nice card in which I said that I would pray for her.

"But (the daughter) doesn't believe in God", my Mom said, "she believes in reincarnation". "Well, Mom", I replied, "People who ascribe to the concept of reincarnation often believe that they live through successive lifetimes in order to raise their consciousness and reunite with The Universal soul who is, in effect, God".

Mom said nothing, looking down at her plate, resuming her dinner.

My Dad spoke up and commented, "You know, there might be something to this reincarnation thing. Heaven has got to be getting awful crowded with all the people who's lived and died".

Well, Dad", I said, "time and space are merely concepts of this level of reality".

My Dad paused, and replied, "So, Kris, you really like them beets?"

While I don't have a personal story to share, I will say this topic and your story have reminded me of one of my favorite quotes about life in general: "In life you will meet two kinds of people. Ones who build you up, and ones who tear you down. But in the end, you will thank them both."