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April 5, 2019

Five Minute Friday: OFFER

Have you ever had one of those weeks (or hours … or days … or months)? This week, I thought I kept all the balls in the air well enough … until it became apparent I had not.

I finished a project I owed someone — earlier than it was due — wrote it off in my head, patted myself on the back and apparently forgot to send it to the individual. THAT led to a round of “who’s on first” type communications and much self-recrimination on my part.

Fortunately, I have a few friends to whom I can privately say, “I feel like I’m losing it” and they know exactly the right words and reactions to offer.

Earlier tonight I read an incredible Twitter thread about a woman who helped a fellow passenger on the subway. The fellow passenger was experiencing seizures, and the author of the tweets said she followed the instructions on the fellow passenger’s instruction card, waiting with her through several subway stops and several more seizures until the woman (a young woman – I think she was 18) was safely home.

The author of the tweets said (paraphrasing), “We live in a society where it’s easy to call 9-1-1 when someone has a situation like this, but in this specific case, that would have led to worse things — more fluorescent lights and noises to trigger more seizures. More expense (I guess…). More invasiveness. Less comfort of being home in her own environment, with her own bed, her cat (if she has a cat but you get the point…), her dignity.

I am grateful for a friend who gave me the equivalent tonight — an ear, some reassurance, the chance to vent. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Five Minute Friday OFFER

Welcome to this week’s Five Minute Friday. Our instructions, via creator Kate Motaung: “Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.” (But I can’t resist spell checking, as you can imagine.)

Paula Kiger
Paula Kiger

Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Five Minute Friday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tara says

    April 5, 2019 at 11:10 pm

    What a cool story about the Subway. There are still Good Samaritans in the world. I’m thankful for those friends who give a listening ear too.

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger says

      April 6, 2019 at 7:00 am

      So cool! I added the link (which I meant to include from the start) so here it is. Such a thought-provoking read in many ways. I appreciate you stopping by! https://twitter.com/ErynnBrook/status/1113861120240930816

      Reply
  2. Cindy says

    April 6, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    Paula, I sure have been where you were….”losing it”…..grace my dear, give yourself grace. Thanks for showing us there’s still good in the world!

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger (Big Green Pen) says

      April 7, 2019 at 8:41 am

      I’m trying, Cindy! Thanks for the support and comment. <3

      Reply
  3. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser says

    April 7, 2019 at 11:42 am

    Great story! And YOU hang in there.

    I’m always juggling chainsaws
    and torches – don’t miss the mark!
    along with angry in-laws
    and the occasional Great White Shark.
    I really want some Prozac
    and a good merlot
    that might help me go back
    where I long to go.
    Or maybe a long Zen retreat
    will help me clear my funk
    and I can hang out in bare feet,
    a shaven-headed monk.
    But I’ve gotta say (and it’s a fact)
    that I kinda love this juggling act.

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger says

      April 7, 2019 at 9:17 pm

      Oh Andrew I love these verses of yours. Thank you, as always.

      Reply

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