The Best of Times/The Worst of Times

legaljen1969

This past year has been a strange one for all of us. As we end this year with two holidays known for togetherness, thankfulness and hope- I wanted to focus on the random things that have made this year work. I want to focus on the people and the actions that have drawn us back to sanity in the days when we all seem to be flying off the crazy hamster wheel.
This group has been a stabilizing influence for sure. I thank you all. However, I am going to go even a little more specific.
We have the most amazing maintenance man in our building. He comes to polish up the elevator, sweep and mop floors, empty outside trashcans. He is easily in his mid-70's but he's been a part of the building culture for years. He is so diligent about wearing his mask when he comes in, but his eyes dance and his voice is filled with hope every day. Even with his mask on, I can still "feel" his smile. Try to smile, even behind the mask.

JaneA

My opthamologist has been super during my cataract surgeries. He's older, nearing retirement, and no longer does the cataract surgeries himself. Instead, he has a young surgeon come to the local hospital every Wednesday and do the cataract surgeries.
But MY opthamologist comes bouncing in for every checkup and is smiling behind his mask and does an elbow bump. I, too, can feel his smile.

cllinda

Even though this year has been crazy, there are blessings all over the place. Because my daughter and son in law are teachers, they are still working. So that means we still watch our granddaughters during the week. Papa is doing virtual kindergarten with the oldest and it is a blessing that I get to see her learn to read.

It also brought our family closer together. . yes, we still get in each others way but it is ok. We are still healthy and together.
It has not been easy but we are getting by.

ChildOfGod4570

I am thankful for my family and the friends who keep in touch with me and have done so all through this crazy year. With COVID-19, politics, unrest, division, violence, loneliness, and so forth, I am mostly thankful for God, whom has carried me through all this when I couldn't be with anyone else, be it quarantine or hospital stays with no visitors allowed. HUGS and God bless.

legaljen1969

@Cllinda- what priceless experiences- getting to watch your grandchildren and having Papa do virtual kindergarten.
I don't know if those of who didn't stop working are the lucky ones, or the unlucky ones. There are lots of blessings, even in this crazy world.

LiveWithCancer

I did grocery pick up tonight at Walmart. Invariably, the young men (I've only had young women twice) who come out with my groceries and load them in the car are almost without exception friendly and cheerful. The one tonight was particularly cheerful - and it makes my day to see these youngsters happy, productive, respectful.

Your maintenance man sounds incredible, @legaljen1969.

fiddler

I feel happier reading your story @legaljen1969!

Oh! Forgot to mention earlier, good for you for getting out of domestic law. The cortisol release from the stress of law practice really wreaks havoc with the body (also with child welfare - I swear it 'gave' me cancer)! Nice jump to doing something POSITIVE in the near future!

Keep up the good juju vibes

BuckeyeShelby

LWC, I do the same type of grocery pick up at Kroger. And the only difference is that maybe a third are women. But everyone is super friendly. And even though I've been released from their care, I am grateful for my home health nurses. They were always so nice to me. We eventually got to a rhythm where it was always 1 of three different nurses, but before that I saw several, and all of them were so supportive. I really do miss their visits.

legaljen1969

@Fiddler, I worked in family law for about 9 years. I have felt lost and like I am swimming against the current every time I get away from it- but I have had to go where there are job openings. If offered a job in domestic law, I would jump back in head first if I got the right offer. Right now I work for someone who has been trying to get me to learn how to be a real estate paralegal for the better part of two years. I have said No, no, no, and more no. He still persists. The stress and cortisol of family law is NOTHING compared to the stress I feel having to fend off the possibility of being a real estate paralegal. I cannot think of anything I would enjoy less as a professional move. I had to tell my boss about two weeks ago that he had to make a choice and I only saw three paths (1) quit doing real estate altogether (2) hire someone to do real estate or (3) if times were tough and he needed someone to do all of it- let me go and hire someone who could do it all. I am NOT doing it.
I am GOOD at family law/domestic law. People need an advocate and they will find someone- one way or another. Whether the person they find can support them when they are fighting their battle and help them come out a little less battle scarred is a completely different matter.
It is like finding a doctor for cancer- you can find one that can do the surgery, administer the radiation, administer the chemo and make a plan for you. Whether you feel like that person cares about you is a different story. You can feel like you have a treatment team or you can feel like you just have a doctor who signs orders and does treatment. It takes someone with a special sense of care and compassion to do certain kinds of work. I think domestic law requires a bit more compassion than many types of medicine. I know it takes a special person to be an oncology doctor or nurse, someone who has a deeper sense of care than the average.
I think maybe the stress of being away from what I love may have activated MY cortisol.
It's funny how we are all so different in what we choose to do.
I always swore I would never go into criminal defense work or do work in the prosecutors/solicitors office. After sitting all the way through a couple of jury roster calls and working for an attorney who represented corrections officers and first responders, it has become far more apparent to me that we get the justice we can afford. I would give thought to it now.

Real estate- nope. Not this girl. Not all the moving parts and constant changes and money handling. That to me is so stressful. I can deal with handholding, crying, anger and "atta boys" all day if I feel like I made some difference at the end of the day. With real estate, it's just paper after paper after people and the more you get done, the more they give you to do.