Thank you

"Be a best friend, tell the truth, and over-use I love you.  Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense.  Never let your praying knees get lazy.  And love like crazy."

Josh and I were driving home from fishing last night when I heard this song.  It's a song that I have heard many times, but it has never rang more true to me before now.  I have learned many things in my past 24 years.  One of the most important things that I have learned I think is to tell people how you really feel about them and about situations.  I am not saying be mean.  I am not saying go up to every person with a opposing opinion from your own and challenge them; and I am not saying that just because you don't like a person you can cut them down by telling them so.  There's a thin line between speaking the truth for everyone's benefit and speaking what you think is the truth to make yourself seem like the bigger man.

I am still in the beginning stages of this mindset.  I still have a hard time deciphering between the two some days, so if I am ever in doubt about my intentions I refrain from saying anything.  But I am getting better every day.

I have gotten to the point in my life where if someone says something or does something that bothers me or makes me feel uncomfortable, I tell them.  I used to let everything slide, and then I would run home and cry and fuss at Josh about it ultimately taking it out on him when he had no part in it.  Standing up for yourself can be liberating, and I am kind of liking it!

But it's not all about that you know.  This whole "telling people how you really feel" thing can go two ways.  At work I get the greatest satisfaction when my patients call back to the hospital or write in their survey that I did a great job as their nurse or whatever their compliment may be.  People can benefit so much by just a little thank you or sometimes a big thank you when it's warranted.  More so than confronting people when I feel the situation is just, I am focusing more in life on thanking the people who do a great job in life or at work or where ever the opportunity presents itself.

It's the silent do-gooders that get me the most.  I am sure there are more people out there than I know who do good deeds and expect nor want any recognition.  It's the ones who make the hard decisions and actually carry out the hard choices for the greater good of someone else.  For those people it sometimes seems like a simple thank you isn't enough.  But sometimes it is all you can say.

I have said my thank you, and while I wish that I could some how express it more I know I may not be able to.  Sometimes a little thank you can go a long way.

Thank you for everything, for all that you do, now and before this ever happened.  Thank you just for being you.  Thank you!