From "small and chill" gathering to Healthcare Appreciation Party!

My kiddo and I, just the two of us, had a wonderful time making healthcare folks smile on Saturday morning on the Health Sciences LRT platform across from the U of A hospital. Folks coming off night shift were a bit wary until they realized we were there just to say THANK YOU. One of them posted the picture you see here on a social media platform with the caption "Feels nice seeing this at the end of night shift, Thank You." 

But it's them who deserve the thanks for all they are doing and have done through this pandemic. So we're going to meet them again this Saturday morning, at Grey Nuns Hospital this time. If you want to join us, we'll be at the west staff door for an hour at 7 am February 19 to cheer for the folks coming on or off shift. Don't forget to wear a mask in solidarity with them!

The more the merrier!

A "small and chill" gathering of support for healthcare workers

Right now, many of our healthcare workers are running on fumes, and our premier and freedom convoys aren't helping matters. Hospital folks are feeling bullied, and some of us are no longer willing to be bystanders. So if you're in Edmonton, please join us for a "small and chill" (as one of my kids likes to say) early morning gathering to offer health care workers our support.

Time: Saturday morning, February 12th, 6:30 - 8:30 am.

Place: Health Sciences LRT platform across from the Main Doors (114 St) at the U of A Hospital. 

I know it's early, but that's shift change when workers are either coming on or off shift and catching the LRT. They get up early/stay up late for us every day, so I'm willing to give up a weekend sleep-in for them. Come for part or all of the 2 hours. 

Here's how it works:

1. Wear a mask (all of the healthcare folks do it for us every day, and we're standing in solidarity with them). Be sure to spread out on the platform. No Covid-19 transfers allowed!

2. Bring your own morning beverage if needed, and a friend if you can talk them into it.

3. Wave a sign that shows you appreciate the folks who work in the hospital. Thank you, we love you, whatever you want to say. (Failing that, learn to sing Skinna-marinky-dinky-dink, Skinna-marinky-doo, we love you!)

4. Smile at people who smile at you.

5. Ignore anyone who is not supportive of our healthcare folks. Do not engage. (I'm not expecting many of those that early in the day).

Option: If the U of A Hospital is not where you want to be, there are other hospitals and healthcare folks who would appreciate support, too -- set up your own "small and chill" gathering at another hospital (but remember not to crowd hospital entrances -- stand across the street or the security guards/law enforcement might not like you).

If you're not in Edmonton, maybe consider starting your own gathering?

If you are in Edmonton, I hope you'll join us in solidarity and support of the people who work so hard to try to keep us healthy... Heaven knows they deserve a LOT of love!!!

We all need to be appreciated

At work at L'Arche yesterday, the office was empty except for Glen and me. Everyone else was attending various meetings, but I was typing minutes, and Glen, one of our Core Members, was shredding documents -- a task that our people with disabilities enjoy because they often like to help. Glen, who is in a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy, fed papers into the shredder with infinite patience, I kept on at my keyboard, and every few minutes, we would exchange a few words about the weather or our activities on the long weekend or what we were doing in our respective spots.

At one point, I was deep in my typing, and I suspect I missed something Glen said to me. It took a few minutes before I noticed that he had stopped shredding papers. I looked up, and saw his eyes stealth-slide from me back to his work. I said, "Gee, Glen, you're working so hard, you're going to wear that poor shredder right out."

He smiled his great big Glen smile for the briefest moment, and then his face became very serious as he went back to his task with more concentration and vigor than ever. I realized that he had just been waiting to be appreciated and acknowledged. And sure enough, about ten minutes later, the shredder shut itself down because it was overheating!

I think we're all a bit like Glen. I know I am! I love to be appreciated for the little things I do. And there are times when I'm tempted to stop doing some of those little things until someone notices and gives me that little extra pat on the back to energize me again. I especially appreciate it from my kids! And sometimes I'm smart enough to appreciate aloud the people in my life who work hard behind the scenes -- or in front of them. The words thank you rarely go astray...

So, your secret mission for today is to notice someone who is doing a thankless task, or someone who doesn't expect to be thanked for doing their job, and thank them for it. I'll bet they'll smile a big smile like Glen's.