Wrapped in Love

It is February.  I live in the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts. “The Berkshires” if you think everyone already knows they are mountains.  They are beautiful.  And this winter they have been Wisconsinesque cold and snowy.  And snowier.   And grey.  And did I mention cold?

Work has been unbelievably busy.  Not the sixty to seventy hour work weeks busy when we were opening the Cancer Center, but busy because the other woman in my department retired and they have not yet replaced her.  In fact, they only fully decided to replace her (or replace me really, as I was promoted into her position) this week.  It is busy.  It is full of interruptions and people who should know the answers to their questions but really just need a moment of grace and understanding from me.  There are many of those moments and in February, I don’t have a lot of extra grace leftover some days.

Today was a day like that.  My desk is cold.  There are too many projects all of which are the most important.  There are every day things left undone.  There was an order for a urinalysis with the nursing comment, “Short tourniquet time.”  Some days I worry about nurses.  They are busy too sometimes and in need of a little grace.  Still.  Where was that tourniquet exactly??  An argument I witnessed in a meeting this week has stuck with me longer than it needs to.  A customer service representative spent the bulk of our phone call not trusting that yes, I do know what I’m asking, after all I AM THE ONE WHO HELPS BUILD THESE THINGS! There was a sermon at a church we celebrated with on Sunday that left me feeling frustrated and sad. (More on that another time.)  I felt lonely, cold, and overwhelmed.

And then a funny thing happened.  A resident stopped by my desk to ask for some computer help.  And she complimented my outfit.  An outfit I’d put on in a hurry trying to be warm and comfortable and had even felt a little awkward in this morning.  I asked the Kettle Slayer on my way out the door, “Do I look too much like I’m about to go riding?”  He laughed and assured me it was beautiful.

I stopped and looked at what I’d chosen.  A scarf and bracelets made by Bird Girl just for me.  Earrings made by another friend who makes such beautiful things.  A sweater given to me as a hand-me-down by a mentor and friend.  A dress carefully shopped for with the Library Fairy when I needed something new and beautiful and untouched.  I was literally wrapped in love.  Now that’s the way to ward off the Februaries!

blue scarf