Coming to this super late, but the column makes me think about my new job. I work in a clinic and I’m the person (nurse) who calls patients to come in and I take them to their room. I always greet people with a smile and patience. I aim to come across as friendly. I see the patients as people, not widgets on an assembly line. It makes a difference for them, which sets them up to be helped by our clinic because they feel seen, not defensive. Or at least, that’s my hope. Such a small thing, but how many of us feel routinely rushed at doctor’s appts by a grumpy person hurrying to get us into a room? I don’t like that and don’t want to inflict it on our patients.
Oh, this isn’t small at all! As you know, my dad died almost two years ago. The nurses and doctors who treated us like people and gave us a smile and a bit of compassion meant the world to us.
It seems we both had dog-walking on our minds this week, as I also posted about a dog-walk encounter a day ago. I have many fond memories of meeting people that way. I'll always remember meeting a woman in my Vermont MFA program first semester.
She looked familiar as I did to her, and then she said, "You're Siris's dad!"
Siris was my dog. We knew each other from dog-walking on the Lake Michigan beach. I would have recognized her instantly if she had had her pooch with her.
Mr. Rogers was my first crush. And best line from the movie Elf? "Good news. I saw a dog today!" Thanks for bringing all of the tenderness today, Mari.
“I’ll watch the time.” 🥹💚
I have goosebumps!
Coming to this super late, but the column makes me think about my new job. I work in a clinic and I’m the person (nurse) who calls patients to come in and I take them to their room. I always greet people with a smile and patience. I aim to come across as friendly. I see the patients as people, not widgets on an assembly line. It makes a difference for them, which sets them up to be helped by our clinic because they feel seen, not defensive. Or at least, that’s my hope. Such a small thing, but how many of us feel routinely rushed at doctor’s appts by a grumpy person hurrying to get us into a room? I don’t like that and don’t want to inflict it on our patients.
Oh, this isn’t small at all! As you know, my dad died almost two years ago. The nurses and doctors who treated us like people and gave us a smile and a bit of compassion meant the world to us.
Nice post Mari!
It seems we both had dog-walking on our minds this week, as I also posted about a dog-walk encounter a day ago. I have many fond memories of meeting people that way. I'll always remember meeting a woman in my Vermont MFA program first semester.
She looked familiar as I did to her, and then she said, "You're Siris's dad!"
Siris was my dog. We knew each other from dog-walking on the Lake Michigan beach. I would have recognized her instantly if she had had her pooch with her.
I love how we all know each other by our dogs—and we know the dogs’ names, if not the humans’.
Mr. Rogers was my first crush. And best line from the movie Elf? "Good news. I saw a dog today!" Thanks for bringing all of the tenderness today, Mari.
Oh thank you dear friend! And thank you for being my cool friend when I was a nerdy teenager!