About 3 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a very special human being named "Dottie". I was at a national nursing conference and 'out of the blue' I believe God dropped her right into my lap. Dottie is a nurse from a small African nation. She is a BIG black well-endowed African goddess. Dottie and I began talking about nursing (my career for those of you who do not know me).One of the biggest issues in nursing today is horizontal violence or more commonly known as "nurses eating their young". I was shocked to hear that nursing all across the world has the same issues as we do here in North America...far far away across the world. Dottie went on to share the best life advice I have ever heard.
Dottie told me when she had some problems at school as a child because of mean girls. Then, as she went into nursing, the back biting and nastiness was really getting her down. I was shocked because I truly thought this was only a North American phenomenon! Dottie told me that she shared her dismay with her mother one day and her mother told her about the 'soul candle'. She told her daughter that every human being is born with a soul candle(a flame flickering inside their heart)and they MUST keep that flame burning at all costs. It is human nature for humans to try to knock each other down in order to protect their small world....in essence trying to blow out your soul candle. Her mother told her that negative thoughts and doubts are like hurricane force winds for your soul candle....and can quite easily extinguish your flame if you let it. Dottie went on to tell me when she feels hurt by words...she thinks about her soul candle and knocks the thoughts right out of her head. At this point, I wanted to curl up on Dottie's lap, suck my thumb and nestle my head right into her bosom! I LOVED Dottie...sadly I did not get her contact information....and with that she disappeared out of my life...in body but not in soul.
I have been thinking about Dottie a lot lately....not in the nursing context but in real life scenarios. I have been bombarded with sad news lately about the health and tragedies bestowed upon my friends. We take life so much for granted. As I reflect upon my perpetual battle (OBSESSION)with my weight I get frustrated with the triviality of it all. Because I am a child trapped in a woman's body I tend to not accept that I am into my 4th decade in life. It is in this decade that one of my friend's became a widow, a couple have lost their parents, one is battling for her life in intensive care following a simple surgery, and another has received news of breast cancer. How can this be true? I ask myself....weren't we just playing hide-and-go-seek and swinging on the swing set yesterday?
To me, the soul candle represents the very core of our soul. I can slip into denial...curl into a ball and deny what is fact. I can allow myself to feel the paralyzing pain and allow it to cripple me in fear for the rest of my days.....what if this happens...what if that happens? OR...I can take it for what it is....sad news...and let that be a reality check and swift kick in the ass to stop wasting time worrying....or "burning daylight" as Dr. Phil puts it. I have to shit or get of the pot, so to speak.... don't sweat the petty things...and don't pet the sweaty things. I still need to persevere as far as the weight loss goes in order to protect my health. BUT, I also must keep in mind that there is real life struggle and pain out there and stop letting a clothing size or number on the scale be the boss of me. I must admit when I got the call from my friend with the breast cancer scare...my soul candle flickered and struggled to stay lit....how can this be happening? This just isn't right....it's not fair. This happens to other people...there was a tsunami in my chest! It is a heart wrenching reminder to us all not to take life for granted.....to live like you are dying... and to protect the soul candle flame at all cost.
You can chose to be like a leaf in the Fall that clings to the tree for dear life...or let yourself go wherever the breeze takes you-Lynn Casey
Lynn
;)
Lynn, you really get to the "soul" of your topics. I can't wait until your books come out so I can own them in hardcover to read and reread when I need to remember what really matters in this roller coaster ride we are all on.
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