Ponderings: On Understanding

Maria, the passion and love it takes to be understanding are so evident in your personality. Always looking out for the other guy, always caring and willing to help...all qualities of understanding. You are a sweetheart and example to us all!

Vicki's hard earned understanding shows how compassionate she is and she deserves great success for her willingness to help others.

Voted up, useful, awesome, interesting, and shared.

It is obvious you are a kind understanding person. Good writing and a wonderful message.

Dear Maria,

Hope your husband is doing okay. Sorry the long wait in the ER exacerbated his pain and anxiety, instead of helping alleviate it.

How like you to be comforting a "stranger" in a time of distress and also to be sharing your ER experience with your students in an effort to give them awareness about the importance of treating patients with compassionate understanding.

Thanks also for leading readers to Vicki's excellent website. I was not aware of her workbook and just ordered a Kindle version through Amazon.

Blessings, Hugs & Love,

Gail

Mar, I will never understand why ER personnel allow people to wait and wait and wait. Does emergency not set a sense of urgency?

I know why your patients (and friends) love you so much. You're patient, compassionate, understanding, supportive, and very loving.

Vicki is a great person to pass the understanding baton to. She understands grief and what it takes to get through it. I look forward to her post.

Hello Mar, I hope that your husband is recovering well from his accident and the ER experience. Those times are so stressful for all those involved. The management of the ER sure needs to reevaluate their procedures if you walked away with such angst.

You fitted song lyrics so well to your theme here. And the Amazon capsule is a nice touch.

Great 'Good Word' and addition to your series promoting the positive.

I learned to understand as a teacher. One size does not fit all in a classroom, and either a teacher learns to understand that, or they do not last long in the profession. As always, a quality read by a quality person.

love,

bill

I love your compassion for others, few people would take the time to console another person as you did with the pregnant woman. The flippant way she was treated is a shame. I've worked with some of the best nurses and I'm sorry to say, " The worst. " I loved the video, Ebony and Ivory. I've read some of Vicki's work. I must read about her husband, I didn't know this. Thank you Mar. I agree with Bill, you're one in a million and I'm happy to call you friend. God Bless you, G and Andy.

Tears ... I almost could not finish reading this insightful hub here on the "Good Word, Understand" ... and you are the poster girl for that word, let me tell you the truth, dear Maria! There needs to be a billion more just like you in this world, but I am so glad the one and only you are here now doing what you do best ... to understand others, especially in difficult times, by listening ... is what is most important.

I am so looking forward to dear Vicki's hub on the "Good Word, Understand" ... and thank you so much for sharing about her book and all of the other beautiful character traits that make Vicki who she is in this life.

I appreciate the word, "Understand" so much more now after reading here.

Voted up ++++ tweeting, pinning, G+ and sharing

Love you,

Theresa aka Faith Reaper

Hi Maria. It's sad to watch things like you describe in the ER happen every day, all around us. I wonder, though, if it is really a matter of not understanding in these type of situations or of just not caring at all. People seem to want others to understand them without trying to look at things from another perspective.

It makes me happy that there are people like you in the world, though. A smile or a word of comfort. Any kind gesture, really, can make all the difference.

And in terms of other aspects of life, understanding is what allows relationships to endure. You've articulated it beautifully. :)

I have to agree with the consensus. When it comes to understanding and compassion, I think of you.how sad about your unfortunate ER experience, especially when you know how it, should be done. I do hope "G" is doing ok and feeling better. Thank you for sharing. And thank you for being Phil and Genesis into the mix!

Hello everyone,

Gosh, it's been a while since I saw several of you, and I am just so happy to be here again! Life happens and things just get a bit busy sometimes.

However, I have been reading here, and oh my, it really doesn't take much time to realise that many of your lovely comments on Maria's beautiful musical tribute to "understanding" have also been directed to me. How could I have such a nice place in your hearts?

I'm so humbly thankful for your kind words, and Maria for your wonderful understanding of my tardiness in thanking all of your friends who have come to see your lovely work and mentioned me!

Well, Maria, being the phenomenal friend that she is, not only mentioned me, but pretty well presented a separate article on me! How do you thank someone for that?

Hard not to feel overwhelmed at her generosity, and I confess, I do. Thank you so much, my very dear friend

I;m going to be "out of order" here, and just thank you first dear Maria. I love your musical abilities! I know how much music means to you, and as I write this I know you will be driving to your teaching experience of the day. I've often thought I would like to be making that drive with you, just to experience your musical selections in action!

I was interested in your ER room report, as it showed such a lack of caring and understanding. You try to make excuses for this sometimes, thinking nurses might have been just tired, but then that quickly becomes negated when you realize they were talking and laughing together while anxious patients waited for service.

I was touched that you offered such a practical and loving gesture of compassion to the pregnant lady. Such actions don't require genius or hard work, just compassion, and an understanding look. I just know you'll seize this opportunity by indelibly imprinting this on the minds and hearts of your young students.

Phil Collins is one of my favorite musicians too. Always easy to understand, always heartfelt in his songs. One of the greats!

Dear Maria, to sum up, I loved your musical tribute and I thank you so much for the honor of passing the baton to me, and your very kind inclusion of me in this lovely article. You're definitely one of the "greats" too.

Tillsontitan Thank you for your kind thoughts. Always appreciated.

Gail. thanks for your download of my workbook. Hope you will like it. and thank you for your interest.

bravewarrior - love your support, always, thank you.

always exploring - many thanks for your interest in my work!

Faith Reaper - you're a sweetheart, and I always love to see your comments!

Your ER story is truly an example where the words "There must be some misunderstanding" apply. We have to cling to the hope that these people, entrusted to our care, will provide comfort as well as healing in an atmosphere of kindness and concern for our emotional and physical health. As you experienced, this is not always the way things go. I was reminded of so many visits to the ER with family members whose fear and pain should have engendered compassion, yet, was met with indifference and distraction with seemingly more important social interactions with peers taking their time. Like you, I'm mentally filling out the customer satisfaction survey and have done so literally when this sort of treatment is given.

Ebony and ivory, what a key musical statement and one that's well needed in today's world of civil unrest (Missouri comes to mind) and fear (Ebola). Some of our deep rooted values like love and kindness are missing. "What the world needs now, is love sweet love...It's the only thing there's just too little of".

Political divisiveness, us against them and blaming others has taken over our world.

You bring to light those who choose to stand apart from these who have forgotten the greatest commandment - "to love one another", with people like Jo Goldsmith and Vicki W, Faith Reaper, Martie C, Mckbirdbks, Genna and many others who bring us the good words of hope. Bravo and many votes up.

Love to you and yours, Peg

Ohhh, that beautiful word, “understanding.” It’s one of my favorites. And it means different things, which you have written about here so well! For example, we should listen, rather than hear. I was so sorry to learn about your husband’s accident. And all those hours in the ER; I have had similar experiences with the exceptionally rude side of the coin of the definition of ER. How lucky that poor pregnant lady in ER was that you were there for her. When we are gifted with such humanity and understanding, I truly believe that we carry this with us, and “pay it forward,” so to speak.

Thank you for the intro with Vicki. I very much like her clever and unique website title, “Life Talks – I Write.” I plan to visit her there, soon. Her series on bereavement and loss is so needed and valuable. When I lost my dear Mum, I read a book on loss; it was okay, but strangely enough it seemed to be lacking warmth and understanding from a realistic, down to earth perspective.

Voted up and shared. Hugs.

Maria......Hey GF, I am missing you. I know you're busy teaching, as well as the long list of "other" activities in your crazy schedule....hope all is well. Sorry to hear G had an accident. Was he eventually SEEN in the ER...or did I misunderstand?

Maria.....I don't dare even "go there," when it comes to ER experiences. So so many of them with family & friends and more frustration and disappointment than I even want to share!

You are the perfect person to be a "Nurse." When health-related issues are at hand, "understanding," should be the first and constant treatment. It is very important to "listen," and I know first-hand you are an expert listener. I know you'll agree with me that it's nearly an "art-form" to really listen.....not just "hear." After years of practice, some of us may start believing we can read minds!

I'll agree with you about dear Vicki. She is one lovely, compassionate and smart lady. The world needs more of both of you.

Wonderful hub (and music) as always, Maria, my friend. UP--UABI--pinned & tweeted.

This is so awesome! Once again Maria you are so eloquent with your words and the choices of songs! What a blessing it is to learn of Vicki!

Yea! :-) So happy to hear she has her novels and Safe Harbor is a definite must read I am sure! Her article on berevement really touched my heart, when I lost my sister. Praise God for you and for Vicki!

Two exceptional souls sharing the good with others.

Voted up to the Angels and shared. :-) Shalom

Did you ever voice your bad hospital emergency room experience to them? They should know. Help them to be more understanding!