Thursday, January 09, 2014

Laughter Allowed!

As I've told you, I have a new position where I work. It was the job left vacant when one of our own lost her life to suicide. Thoughts of that day leave us all with such a heavy feeling of sadness. No one else wanted to do the job I now do. There are several reasons for that. One of them was that it wasn't a happy thought to work in the little office that was her's. A few people even had almost a superstition about the room.

When I first started working in that room I didn't want to rush any changes. It seemed disrespectful to our friend. However, I didn't want that room to be a place of sadness. Sometimes, as I sit there, I wonder what she was thinking when she last sat in there. Other nurses who stop by have mentioned how the room makes them sad thinking of her.

The time has come. I have taken on a big project by trying to make that feel like a happy room, a place of peace and calm, and where laughter is as appropriate as tears. So, I started by crocheting. Yes, crocheting. Remember how I chased my styrofoam wreath around the Walmart parking lot? I never did catch it and I expect it is now somewhere in South Dakota. Anyway, I bought another and I crocheted a wreath shaped sweater for it.


I added a  big green bow and some dangling twine thingies. It sounds weird but it looks  ok. I superglued a tiny little decorative clothespin at the bottom. Sounds even weirder, huh? I took it to work and hung it on the office door. I am using that little clothespin to clip on a cartoon for the day...cartons such as this one:


...and this one:


A little quirky, yes, but I've seen people smiling. There were maybe even a few chuckles. That is all I wanted.

Now, I am working on some little personal touches within the office. It is a very small office so there isn't room for much. Really, it would be smallish even for a walk-in closet. Anyway, I am taking this vase in, just because it adds a pop of color and it can sit on the floor in a corner. It makes ME happy.


Additionally, I am making something with twine and fake pearls. I'm not certain what, but I already like it.

So, that's what I've been up to.  You?


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