Friday Morning Inspiration – Marian Griffey, ACPA Facilitator

Good morning, everyone ~

A childhood brain-file of my dad has just popped open:

It was a lovely Spring day. Clear skies. Mild weather. Doors/windows were open to catch the warm breeze, welcoming and fresh. Dad sat in his chair close to the wood burning stove, even though there was no fire going. His long arms were crossed over his knee. His head was bowed as if in prayer. I watched him for a long while, wondering if he was sleeping.

As he slowly lifted his head, I saw the look of sadness about his features/in his blue eyes. Carefully, I eased up beside him, placed an arm across his thin shoulders. “What’s wrong, Dad?” I asked.”

Child,” he said softly, “I just feel so unnecessary.” 

His words/tone of voice/facial expression pierced my young heart. “You’re necessary to me, Dad,” I whispered.

I never discovered why my dad felt “unnecessary” that day, for we never discussed it further. Yet, in my nearly 67 years of Life on this Earth, and having felt “unnecessary” myself from time-to-time, I think perhaps most if not all of us have felt “unnecessary” at some point in time.

 Learning to let a feeling be just a feeling, temporary — is a lifelong self-training program. Feelings are supposed to be temporary. No one gets to be “happy ever after”. No one should feel it necessary to pretend to be. Being human is as complex as the stars, as variable as the ocean, as multifaceted as space/time. Being human is a happenstance of Life/Nature. Being humane, however, is a personal choice; the result of self-training and willingness to treat self/others with compassion.

Last Week’s Challenges:

(A) Who said: “the ability to tell your own story, in words or images, is already a victory, already a revolt.”     

ANSWER: Rebecca Solnit; writer, historian, activist. Her writing reminds me that compassion has a variety of tones/words/actions. Like feelings, compassion flows in a wide range of volume/sounds. 

(B) What have you learned about yourself and your most challenging experiences?     

ANSWERS: (paraphrased/consolidated) That Life is like the weather — variable, challenging, beautiful, etc. To find a point-of-balance, there must be extremes. The kinder we are to one another, the better everyone feels.

This week’s challenges:

(A) Who said: “The demands on the CEO in terms of delivering are probably tougher today than they have been before. But I think the CEO’s job has become more interesting.”?

(B) If the “job” of being the CEO of your pain management is tougher today than it has ever been before, perhaps the management style needs adjustment. How would you describe your “leadership skill” as the CEO of your pain management? 

As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, let’s cultivate an attitude of gratitude despite whatever challenges of pain/circumstance exist. 

Stay safe. Stay kind. Stay focused on doing some good in this world. 

Gentle hugs/much love,

Marian