A TURN  FOR  THE NURSE

As the old “Get Well” card put it,

“After a while he took a turn for the nurse.”

In reality, as every nurse knows, people

get hurt and ask, “What do we do now?”

Then someone says,

“Is there a doctor in the room?”

No hands went up.

Nobody came running.

Then someone asks,

“Is there a nurse in the room?”

And ten people came running.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018
May 6-12 National Nurse
Week in the United States

April 22, 2018

Thought for today:

“As nurses we know suffering. We are fully aware of how precious each moment of life is. We learn to live well.

  

Nurses are grateful people. Some people only learn about these essential spiritual qualities from traditions of worship. We learn compassion, love, peace and more by performing our daily work.

  

Nurses are constantly reminded of the necessity of valuing the dignity and worth of every person. As a result, we become better people. Our souls are healed. We develop communication skills and open hearts which make us more loving members of our own families. We become tolerant, and appreciate the diversity of all of the people on this earth. Perhaps that is the biggest benefit of being nurses. We become more caring, and honorable people.”

Patricia Bratianu, PhD, RN, RH-Ahg
May 6-12, 2018 National Nurse Week 
in the United States

.

ALONG A FEW IRISH   

BACK ROADS 

Roads, rocks, rain - 

glimpses of sunshine -

clouds  in muddy mirror potholes -

wind rushing to dry off the meadows

and push away the gray mist - 

so the tourists can see out the windows

of their big buses - and be nosy 

about who's who in these white washed thatched homes of their great, great grandparents - who had no food 

on their tables as they suffered 

the Great Famine and the troubles - but now these homes are the castle 

and the palace of their rich, mind you, 

rich distant DNA cousins - singing and dancing here on this green - green, - 

rain, rain - everyday island called Ireland.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2018

WHAT  AM  I   MISSING?

There’s always a catch ….

What am I missing?

The key seems to be ….

It might be in the bottom drawer

or on the top shelf in the back,

or under the bed or in the attic ….
Is It You, God? Is It You?

So, God - keep giving me hints ….
What am I looking for?

What am I missing?
Is It You, O God? You, O God?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

April 21, 2018

Thought for today:

“A car radio blasts,

“Love,  O careless Love ….” I hear

my ill-spirit sob in each blood cell,

as if my hand were at its throat ….

I myself am hell;

nobody’s here.” 

Robert Traill Spence Lowell, [1917-1977], 

Skunk Hour [1959], stanza 5, 6

REVERSED ROLES

Jesus put your hands into my wounds,

into my cuts.  Touch my hurt.  Let me

look into your eyes, so I will know -

you know - what I have gone through -

and both of us will wink at each other -

as we say to the great connector, the

great peace maker,  “What you too?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

Painting: Doubting Thomas 

by Caravaggio
Check out John 20: 19-29

April 20, 2018

Thought for today:

“What is hell? Hell is oneself,

Hell is alone, the other figures in it

Merely projections,” 

Thomas Sterns Eliot [1888-1965]  

The Cocktail Party [1950]