A lesson in attitude....sorry, it's kind of long.

Gabe N Abby Mom
Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
in Breast Cancer #1
On Monday I went to the lab at Kaiser to get my blood drawn. As usual, I pulled my number and looked at the current number to estimate the wait for check in. Only 10 numbers ahead of me, not a bad wait.

Shortly after that, a woman sat in the chair across from me, and started complaining about how long it was taking. "It's always bad, What takes so long"...blah, blah, blah. A minute or two after that a woman near the check in counter starts loudly complaining..."it always happens like this here. Just 'cuz I didn't get up and get over here fast enough, you took someone in front of me. Well, I don't have time for this." Stomp, stomp, stomp, on her way out, still loudly complaining.

Then a couple minutes later, another number is called. Up comes a young mother and her little girl. The girl is about 2.5 years old and is carrying a baby doll. Very carefully the laid her doll on the base of the number machine and told her to nap. Then she started walking around and around the pole of number machine. The entire time that mom was checing in, the girl kept asking "is it our turn soon mommy?' "...our turn soon?" The child was not whining or annoying, the mom never lost her patience. Soon all the people around me were smiling, because this little girl was so adorable. The lady across from had the biggest change in attitude, she started smiling and then talking to girl about her doll.

It was so nice to see this little girl teach all those grownups how to wait patiently and that attitude makes a huge difference in your ability to tolerate the little annoying things in life. I thought it a wonderful lesson for this season.

Hugs,

Linda

P.S. When it was finally the little girl's turn to get her blood drawn, she said "Oh no mommy, it's not our turn." ...which brought more smiles and some laughter in the waiting room.

Comments

  • Bella Luna
    Bella Luna Member Posts: 1,578 Member
    #2
    That's a great story Linda.
    That's a great story Linda. Thanks for sharing it with us. The girl, just by being there, gave an important lesson about attitude. How refreshing.

    Hugs to you Pink Sister!
    Ines
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    #3
    Wonderful Story
    Linda,

    What a great story. I feel the same some times at the surgeons office. If the surgeon is running behind in their clinical appointments. I always like to remind them that the doctor may have been late because of a surgery and if it was you on the table I don't think you would want him/her to rush. That usually gets them to stop complaining.

    Terry
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    #4
    Good story


    Good story
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #5
    teresa41 said:

    Good story


    Good story

    Linda, I loved this story ..
    out of the mouth, of babes! A great teaching lesson, indeed.

    Vicki Sam
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #6
    Good story
    Patience is a lesson we seem to need to learn over and over.
  • RozHopkins
    RozHopkins Member Posts: 578 Member
    #7
    Sweet. Everyone could do with
    Sweet. Everyone could do with a little Yoga.
  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #8
    Waiting, always allow the time

    The lady who complained could have said, "the number is mine, I am slow getting up, please wait for me".   I am certain they would have waited for her.  

    I have a hard time to move if I sit longer than 3 minutes.  My knees won't work, my spine wants to play dead, my ankle won't allow me to put pressure on it, so I am very, very slow rising.  It is embarrasing on a plane.  The airlines noticed the last time I flew and moved me to a seat that wouldn't bother anyone to go around me on  my next flight.  They must have made some notes about me.   On my return flights,  I was set up again in the same kind of seating arrangement.

    I speak up, I'm here but I'm slow and never had a problem.  That woman was a real jerk!  

    When people complain in a waiting room about the time, I look at them and say "they are doing the best they can and they are not making you wait just to annoy you".  They usually shut up after my making that statement.  Really, I would want the doctor to do the best for his patient and if one takes longer than usual, so what!  I want them to do the best for me.   Allow the time for the wait is my motto.

    I love watching little children but most of my waiting rooms don't seem to have many of them.

    Best,

     

    Doris   Smile

     

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