Monday, February 2, 2015

Have fun and enjoy life!

The other day I was doing an online market research survey, and one or the questions asked about the importance of various values in my life, such as environment, culture etc. One of them was having fun and enjoying myself. I was about to check the box for not very important, when I thought: "Hey, wait a minute! This is all about living in delight! No wonder I am struggling. I need to make this the most important value in my life!"

And that is what I am determined to do. Then and there I decided to put having fun and enjoying myself in first place - above the environment, above culture, above helping others etc. It feels weird, but I have decided to trust that this will not make me an inconsiderate monster - because helping others is fun. Music and dancing and theatre and a good movie are fun. Fresh air, healthy, wholesome food, sunshine, snowflakes, clean water, woods and fields and mountains and deserts and rivers and lakes and the ocean are sources of exquisite enjoyment!

And as I am embracing this concept I am finding that life gives to me abundantly, and everything I desire is given to me. I want to have fun and enjoy myself at work. Walking from the parking garage to the ER, I reflected that I have the most fun when I am mentoring new employees, when I can keep the ball rolling for my patient when it seems that it is about to grind to a halt, when caring for the critically ill patient and knowing the right things to do. And I enjoy myself most when my patients express their feeling of being in safe hands, when colleagues thank me for the shift we had together, and when doctors express confidence in my ability and judgement. And then I went on to have the most amazing work weekend, and experienced so much appreciation from both colleagues and patients, so much satisfaction at being able to serve and help and teach. 

Today, on my day off the magic continues. The day started with a dentist appointment and for the first time I was given an explanation for why they want me to come in and get my teeth cleaned twice a year. Apparently I have peridontitis. However my teeth turned out to be in pretty good shape in spite of my having delayed the appointment by 4 months. On my way back to the parking garage I realized that I had forgotten ot pick up a free parking ticket. The fine is $100 - yet when I got there, I found no yellow fine notice under my windshield wipers. It is as if I were leading a charmed existence. 

People talk about bliss, about the world being magical. I never understood what they meant. I never thought it was for me to experience. Yet now I am. Suddenly the world seems magical, and exciting adventure I can't wait to begin. I feel that I am living in a state of joy, knowing that life is blissfully beautiful!

Not everyone feels the same however. As I was leaving work on Sunday, I had forgotten to bring and empty gurney down to where they are cleaned and was apologizing to the service staff, when a nurse from the neighboring observation unit came with a gurney. 
I said: "Oh, maybe this is the one I forgot".
To which she replied:"I wouldn't bring down a gurney from the ER!"
"Oh", I said, "I do it all the time. If I'm bringing down a gurney, and there are others standing there, or if I'm passing one that's ready to go and I have the time, I take it down, whether it's from the ER or the observation unit. It's all about helping each other to get the job done, isn't it?"
Well she got so mad. She sent me away from her. The conversation was making her too uncomfortable. Perhaps when she thinks about it, she will see that I wasn't so much criticizing as demonstrating an alternative attitude. 

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