Dawn's Notes

Bloom Where You Are
March 2010
by Dawn Phelps, RN/LMSW

Dr. Ragsdale cleared his throat then spoke quietly to the expectant father in Columbia, Tennessee.  The doctor said, "I can save your wife, but I cannot save your baby."  A young woman was in labor with her second child, and things were not going well.  The baby was large and positioned frank breech.

The to-be father stayed near.  As time passed, the doctor again cleared his throat and repeated the same message to the father, "I can save your wife, but I cannot save your baby."

In spite of the doctor's prognosis, a baby girl was born alive at high noon on Friday the 13th, weighing in at 10 pounds.  The baby strangled during the delivery and had to stay in the hospital for several days, but the baby lived!  I know the story is true because I was that baby!  

Through the years I remember my mother and daddy repeating the story.  Since I recently had my 68th birthday, I thought again of the story.  I have come to the conclusion that God must have had some purpose for me surviving when I was born—a purpose for me still being alive.     
 
As we grow older it is natural to look back over our lives, to review how we have spent our years.  Looking back, I cannot claim earth-shaking accomplishments.  So if I have impacted the lives of others positively, it has been in small ways without fanfare.  

Have you ever thought about who has influenced your life the most?  In my early years, it was a fifth-grade teacher who challenged me to make something of my life, to “hitch my wagon to a star.”

In recent years, my life was impacted through the kindnesses of friends demonstrated through a hot dish, a loaf of bread, through kind words, or a thoughtful note.

If you are young, you still have your life before you, so go for it!  But if you are a "senior" and no longer working in a formal job, you may wonder, "Is there still a purpose for my life?  What do I have to offer?”

And I answer,  “You are wiser because of your life experiences, and you have something to offer.” 

Most of us do not live in isolation.  So if you come in contact with anyone, you have the potential to influence someone else’s life.  You can offer a kind word, a smile, or a hug.   Small kindnesses sometimes just require a little of our time. 

Barbara Bush once said, “Having a big heart has nothing to do with how big your bank account is.  Everyone has something to give.”  If you are here, I believe you have a purpose and a future.  Maybe you still have something to do that you have not yet discovered, so dare to dream!

There is an old saying “Bloom where you are."   So keep your eyes open to new ways to "bloom" in this world, and watch for those flower petals to unfold.

Call about the next "Living Life after Loss" Group at:
Meadowlark Hospice
709 Liberty
Clay Center, Kansas
(785) 632-2225

Dawn Phelps, RN/LMSW, Group Facilitator