I got to my office yesterday with the new daily routine—home clothes off, scrubs on, hands to be sanitized—playing in my mind. As I elbowed the door open, I was greeted by a surprise and a wonderful smile from Courtney, whose official title is Medical Student Services Specialist at UT Chattanooga. I always introduce her as an important person who makes things happen. She makes everything work well, smooth and efficiently, and she takes such good care of me in so many ways. So seeing her, with her welcoming smile, literally made my day! She had come in for a brief time to sort some student-related paperwork and to drop off a packet for me from her mother, Jane Glabman.
There it was on the table, a large ziplock bag with beautiful fabric prints visible. Her dear mother (who I have met and is also an absolute delight), had sewed fabric masks for me to use and share. Some had a pocket for a filter if needed. As I looked at them my eyes filled with tears and I looked across at Courtney hoping she could feel my virtual hug!
The fabric of our life has been ripped and torn in so many ways and directions. What we see through the tears is frightening and dark. Issues that may have been suppressed for their controversial nature, systems that are broken become, more evident. Issues that may have been the focus of novels or movies now a reality!
But what if we choose instead to allow the light in, what if we come together to repair this fabric with even brighter threads, threads that are thick and strong as they are united with many many other threads of unity.
What if will allow new and better threads to emerge? Could we weave a new beautiful fabric, its undersurface with threads intertwined with unity and its picture inviting and welcoming to all, depicting strength and beauty in embracing diversity? This is my dream, my hope, my prayer!
We all can play a part. We are already. Thank you, dear Jane and Courtney!
“If we just worry about the big picture, we are powerless. So my secret is to start right away doing whatever little work I can do. I try to give joy to one person in the morning, and remove the suffering of one person in the afternoon. If you and your friends do not despise the small work, a million people will remove a lot of suffering. That is the secret. Start right now.” —Sister Chan Khong
#REFLECT: What can you do today to give joy to one person?
Yes indeed a time for truly honoring the basic foundational tenets of our humanity with kindness, gratitude and forgiveness. Thank you!
When people say, “do not make a mountain out of a molehill,” they forget that it is the moles that make a hill. A couplet in the Indian language, Hindi, says that it is the drops that fill the pot, and it is the drops that empty it. [Boond boond se ghat bhare, tapkat rito hoye]. It is the small pieces that make a collage, it is the small strokes that complete the picture. Although the big picture gives us the pleasure, it is the small details that have the power to create perfection. Let us not undermine the power of small actions of compassion and simple deeds of kindness. It is far better to put a morsel in a hungry mouth than to organize a feast. When each of us decides to do so, there will never be a hungry mouth in the world. It is far better to put a smile on a sad face than to offer all the riches of the world. When each of us decide to do so, there will not be a sad face anywhere.
This does not mean that hunger, pain and sufferings shall disappear as part of our life. This simply means that we all shall be equal partners in them all. Just like joy shared is joy doubled; so is the sorrow shared is sorrow halved.
What I will do today, and every day, is to put a smile on at least one face; to give, share and be part of joy for at least one person every day. Let us all try to do the same. We indeed can remove a lot of suffering. There is no secret in this; this is not rocket science, this is the simple truth. Let us begin by making small gestures of care and share; create a beginning towards universal joy and happiness!