Be a "Star"

Isn’t it amazing how easily we allow the little things in life to fade unknowingly into history?

Today we seem to live in a service & support society where attention is only given to those items for which we ask help. For someone to voluntarily offer to do the unrequired, to act over and above that which is requested or scheduled is often rare.

Recently we spent 2 weeks in a hospital and witnessed this sad truth in action. We were supported by many wonderful nurses, doctors, and aides all trained to provide excellent care and treatment; the majority performed their roles with skill and care. We become used to having both the scheduled routines, as well the requested tasks, carried out as expected. What came as an unexpected blessing was an aide named Star.

After almost 2 weeks of a merry-go-round of nurses, aides, doctors etc., Star entered our little universe as a breath of fresh air. Star’s presence did not rely on her physical or mental attributes. Instead, it was her spirit, her happy willingness to go out of her way, which brought us such delight.

Remember the days when, if you had to be hospitalized, nurses would always bathe you, remake your bed, help you with personal needs, and include such simple things as applying lotion to your back, or performing other comforting, relaxing actions?  In our enlightened 21^st century, however, we quickly found that such acts of kindness were rare—not missing, simply not seen very often.

Star walked into our room one evening and asked Pat, “Would you like me to wash your back for you? Then, how about a back rub with some lotion?”  Is there any answer to that other than a grateful “Yes!”? And that was to be Star’s MO… always looking for those little acts of kindness. What an incredible blessing she was. Whenever Star entered our room, we always knew it was for our good, not for her scheduled routine.

As we go about our day, doing the things we know we must, or the things requested by others, how often do we look for those opportunities to do the unrequired? The little things no one even thought to ask of us? I’d urge you to take time each day to look for ways in which you can be a “Star,” to be the answer to someone’s unasked point of need… to be a blessing.

Terry & Patricia Lampel | Cup of Cold Water, Everett, WA