Friday, May 7th and Day 4 of the quest.
A tough day at the office. Actually that's not quite right. It was fantastic day at 'the office'. However, a really long week of driving hard and keeping your chin up can get tiring. And no matter how well you can cow-girl up when it counts, you are going melt down -- at least a little bit -- in front of those you love. (unless you have serious repressive tendencies...but that's a whole other blog...)
The funny thing about blowing off emotional energy is that you know the world is not ending. Your brain knows that the Earth will continue to keep spinning and whatever angst you are experiencing at the moment is not be capable of catapulting you out of the stratosphere -- It only feels that way sometimes.
The strange thing about pain -- all sorts of it -- is that most of it is not life-threatening. The majority of times your heart aches is not due to a coronary. There is no major surgery required to sustain your life.Yet still...it can ache as if shattered...for a little while... or until a mild application of tenderness is applied by someone else. It is incredible what a well-chosen word at the right moment can do to repair an aching heart.
Greater still, is how utterly remarkable the perfect, unexpected gesture of kindness -- delivered without hesitation in the moment -- can completely transform a moment and mend an injured spirit.
Yes. I was upset that day. My heart hurt. So I decided to apply some retail therapy to my wounded soul and found myself wandering around at an outdoor mall. I walked around -- window shopping only -- and began to tear up. And of course, my nose started to run. I remember wishing, "My kingdom for a tissue," when I noticed a little girl, perhaps 4 years old, had tripped, fallen and broken out in tears herself. It didn't appear that she was bleeding or otherwise seriously injured, but it was clear her heart hurt in addition to her knee.
Across the way was a children's clothing boutique. And in the window was a small, stuffed animal puppy. I quickly purchased it and stepped over to the still weeping girl's mother and asked permission to offer her daughter the toy to cheer her up. The mother gave me a look of gratitude and her authorization. I knelt down and explained to the girl that the puppy needed a friend and asked if she thought she could take care of him for me. The little girl quickly drew the stuffed pet to her chest and her sobs began to subside.
And my heart began to feel better, too.
How fortunate that the children's store was right there. But what if it wasn't? I would have felt helpless. And what about the handful of keen people that walked past me? Did one of them wish they had a Kleenex in their possession to offer me? And what about my friends? Wouldn't it be great to have a little pick-me-up in my pocket when I know they are down?
And that's when it hit me. What I needed was to create a bag of an 'emotional first aid kit' and carry it around with me to be prepared for that perfect moment.
But what to put in the bag? I decided to use the five senses as my guide:
- A cloth handkerchief (smell - or rather the reinstatement of the ability to smell) I bought a few. I figure I might go through a few of those...
- A small stuffed animal puppy (touch) I can't bear to watch a child cry.
- A miniature box of chocolates (taste) "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." Not to mention the instant happy factor of heavenly, chocolately goodness...
- A library of itunes songs (sound) The perfect song for the perfect moment that can be gifted straight from my phone to theirs
- A copy of Maya Angelou's book 'Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now' (sight) Every page of that book is fantastic. So it occurred to me: The moment I interact with someone is just that -- A single page in the book of their story. So why not (with the right person in the right circumstance) just tear a page out of Maya's brilliance and give them a moment of inspiration?
I am aware that a box of chocolates will not solve world hunger. I realize that a handkerchief can't wipe away a serious issue. And I admit that any page ripped out of the book does not contain the formula to happiness. But to be there and do something - show someone out right that you care in the precise moment of need...Well, I do know that is perhaps the most effective salve for an injured heart. And I intend to be prepared to administer whatever first aid I can, whenever I can.
I will update you on highlights of my usage of the 'first aid kit'. Until then, thanks for reading.
361 more adventures and stories to go. If you like what you see, please feel free to post your comments, subscribe or pass this along.
- Dolores McKay
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