Sunday, August 30, 2009

Ten More to Go

So, I know that we are all serving. Just not talking about it. Which I can dig, because I haven't been posting either.

And I know that not everyone wants to toot a horn. Or make a sock monkey.

So let's talk about the service we have been rendered. I recently (today) had the privelege of speaking about the Atonement at church, and I got to thinking about all of the amazing things that I have been helped with and given because of that. I know that nothing I can ever do for anyone on this earth will ever measure up to the gift I have been given, but I have to try.

So here is one of the best services I have ever been given.

My best friend, before she was my best friend, was also my next-door neighbor. You may know her. She is pretty awesome. So, one time, I had just found out that the reason I was so black and gloomy all the time (ALL THE TIME) was because I had chronic depression. And I needed medication. And I would need it, in all likeliness, until I either hit menopause and changed some stuff in my hormoneez or died. Whichever. For some reason, this did not provide me with relief, this diagnosis. It made me ashamed. Like I was less or broken or whatever. And I mentioned it to my neighbor and she and her sister-in-law told me that I was not broken. And that they had all been on pills and potions. And that it made things better. And that no one thought I was bad. And then we went to Ben and Jerrys. And I took my medicine. And it was THE GREATEST THING EVER.

And that little conversation that she probably does not remember having was one of the best services of my life.

The end.

PS: One of the best services I ever gave? The time I brought fifty McDonalds cheeseburgers to the soldiers out camping with Army. Guess who won that "Greatest Wife" election? Me.

PPS: Does it count if I totally brought those cheeseburgers to make sure I won the election? Because I kind of did.

PPPS: What is the best service you have been given?

6 comments:

  1. The cheeseburgers totally count! Best service given to me = the time my visiting teacher (who wins best VT ever. EVER, period. the end.) arranged over 50 volunteers to rotate through twice daily shifts to help me do physical therapy with my son Tyler.

    Best service I've given = arranging and assisting in putting 750 children through Deafblind simulations so they could have a glimpse of what Helen Keller and other db people go through everyday.

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  2. Oh, Mrs. O. I am sorry that I follow Helen Keller on Twitter. And that it is awesome. Can we still be friends?

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  3. I ABSOLUTELY remember that conversation. And I remember that at Ben & Jerry's, you and Monica had a conversation about Harry Potter and I was like, duh, but now I want to marry Snape.

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  4. I love this blog! And any service that involves Ben & Jerry's is great! Thanks for your kind comments on my blog. Your sweet words made my day!

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  5. I hesitate to tell parts of my story because I'm not sure that people want to hear/read/know it, but....
    one of the times that I was served--brings a bit of shame--but also intensen gratitude:
    One of my three amigos (or nephites if you will) came to the place I had removed myself to while coming off an addiction to drugs. She sat with (sometimes ON) me for 48 hours. While I:
    sweated
    chilled
    trembled
    cried
    screamed
    yelled obscentities at her
    climbed the walls (literally tried)
    slept
    talked
    cursed God
    ...and eventually....

    came down.

    I will write a post about another time in my life when, looking back, means the world to me.

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  6. Thanks B for sharing that. I love people being real. And while we're being real I have to say that my ex step-sister moving in with me to help me raise my baby girl after her bio dad bailed on me was HUGE. And I will never be able to repay her. Also the day I gave birth my ex of all people was such a champ, making me laugh by showing me that he peed his pants in the hospital bathroom. He put our son in front of him and made him walk that way out to the car. I was laughing all through contractions, and he took that humiliation bullet so that I could.

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Sometimes gruntled, sometimes disgruntled.