BE THANKFUL

Today I was reminded to not complain...and to enjoy the moment...no matter what that moment may be. If I'm having a good day...be grateful. If I'm having a bad day... remember...someone else is probably having a worse one.

This mornings paper showed the obituary of a mid-fifties year-old husband and wife. Seems yesterday someone pulled in front of their motorcycle and they were unable to avoid a collision. I thought about their children...who maybe as recently as the night before...was laughing and having supper with them...and the next day...they're both gone.

Today...at the end of the day...I was planning on coming home and enjoying the start to the weekend. Just minutes after leaving, my pager went off...instructing me to come back in to the hospital. Seems a doctor asked for a STAT test to be done on his patient. When I went to the room of the patient to talk to them, I found he was just admitted and was visiting with his wife and children. He appeared in no distress, walking and talking easily. I explained the test that the doctor wanted me to perform and as I was doing so...the doctor walked in. He told the patient that he had bad news...but he wanted the test that I was about to start, to begin fighting the disease as fast as he could. The man's son asked the doctor how long his father might survive without immediate intervention. The doctor told him...'maybe, six weeks'.

As I performed the test on the man to get the results that would start the immediate intervention...I was reminded that I had NO REASON to complain that I would have a late start to my weekend. I can't imagine being on the receiving end of those words...'maybe, six weeks'.

Tonight...I will think about the husband and wife and their children...And I will think about the man and his family and the challenges they face. Neither of these situations are ones that people should have to face...but they do...everyday.

My problems are insignificant.


Dan