Jenobi's World

Today is a day of gratitude. A wonderful woman named simply Bella, gave more than she will ever know. She not only gave me a new friend in her daughter, Jeanette, a new sense of being in myself, but also an ability to gather family and strangers together to celebrate her life. Bella passed away early this morning in the comforting surroundings of the Palliative Care ward in Vancouver General Hospital. Because of her I shed a tear today. Because of Bella, I was fortunate enough to meet her eldest child, her daughter, from whom I learned new depths of patience and strength. Meeting her almost every day after work not only eased her stress and pain but also gave her a chance to share and laugh. I believe I not only helped her but she helped me during the past three weeks. I learned of the strength of this woman, the ability to carry a family through the saddest of times, holding her brothers hands, while staying strong for her mother. Her stoic height a testament to her strength, prid...

"Sometimes you are hard to talk to." This was what a friend told me a couple of months ago. I, like anyone, can be hard to talk to, depending on the circumstances. This has been expressed to me most recently in my work place, also. This has never been a struggle for me, as I understand everyone has off days. Personalities and the social integration of people are so intertwined, if there is no acknowledgment of this interwoven social blanket, anyone can be viewed as unapproachable. Regardless of explaining the sociology of the reasons behind the quote, I have been reminded of this off and on in my life. I am happy to have this little poke in the ribs, to put me in my place, yanking off my high horse and forcing me in front of a mirror to judge myself as stringently as I judge others. In my introspection, I see my weakness and understand the reactions of my friends, peers and coworkers. In addition to recognizing my faults I found that this criticism can be turned 180 degrees. ...