May God bless you with annoying things

I find myself reflecting quite often, immersed in my thoughts of events or people at the nursing home, or simply on what’s going on in town. I am a social worker and I also market the facility for future prospective residents. It has been an interesting mix.

Networking with other professionals and competing institutions brings me a rich experience. I could write a story daily, if I had the stamina and the time. However, at the end of the day I am exhausted. Although I’m willing and able to write and capture the stories in prose, when I get home, all I want is to treat my family with a delightful meal, snuggle up on the couch, and then get a good night rest. Yet, the uplifting thoughts and stories I didn’t write about remain in my mind and I awake refreshed mind, ready to excel and meet the day’s challenges.

Occasionally I wonder if there were any inspiring events at the end of my day. Sometimes I feel frustration and burnout-- not unusual for healthcare professionals. “What’s was wrong today?” I asked myself a few days ago. “Nothing inspired me today.” I was terribly annoyed. After unsuccessful care plan meetings with two unreasonable families, I was drained. “What a waste of time!”. I continued to gripe.

I shared my frustration with my husband that evening. I was so glad he listened to me-- or at least, the thought that he was listening. Perhaps it was a simple monologue. I had talked and talked. I was so thankful for his patience. He remained so peaceful when I was venting my despair, and it certainly helped decrease my distress. I concluded that there was, indeed, nothing inspirational from that day’s journey.

“Oh well,” I sighed. I wanted to leave my inner emotional turmoil behind. After getting ready for bed, I decided to check my emails first. I had a few, as usual, mostly jokes and funny stuff. One email was different from the others. My friend Melba forwarded me an email that I had actually read before. “Do little things annoy you?” was the subject. It was in essence a reflection about things or events that make you “mad or frustrated”, and how “it may just be that God is at work watching over you.”

I was perplexed. What a coincidence that this friend sent such a message that evening. “She never forwards me emails!” I recalled. “She writes personal notes occasionally.” --I was pleasantly surprised. How blessed I was that she decided to include me in her forwarded email.

She wouldn’t know it, but she was God’s angel that day. She relayed a message that reminded me that even during the most frustrating days we still can find inspiration. It was a comforting message. “May God continue to bless us with annoying things.”