Bookworm

One of my favourite pastimes is to bury my head into a book. I love taking the opportunity to escape into another world where I can leave all my worries behind and immerse myself in the drama of another place, another time, fall in love with new people and be wary of new enemies.  I also sometimes like to delve into non-fiction works and increase my knowledge and learn new skills.  If I can gain one new thing from a non-fiction book and apply it to my life, then it was all worth it.

To be honest I think my love of reading began as soon as I was able to read.  As a child I was constantly found to have a book in my hand. I believe this passion as a child is what lead me to having a "highly creative imagination" as one teacher put it.  Unfortunately in my 20's my love of reading fell from my list of priorities as I was too busy with an exhausting social life.  But once that was out of my system and I met Hubby and started setting up house, I found myself reaching out for a book to pass away a rainy afternoon.

Now I often have 2 or 3 books going at once, and I squeeze in reading whenever I can, waiting for an appointment or in line, at lunch when the conversation gets a little too gossipy for me.  Given my love of books, I thought I might put a few up on my blog every now and then, when I read one that makes a real impact on me.  Those books are the ones that get to stay in my 'library' and aren't sent out to be recycled.  And yes most of the books I read are paperback and not electronic (although my Kindle books are increasing). Because curling up on the couch on a Sunday morning with my coffee and my boys, soaking up the sun and loosing myself into a book just isn't the same with my Ipad.  There is just a little more magic with my head in a (paper) book.

Thank You

Image by Stuart Rowe Photography

Two words that are music to my ears.  I say those words a lot and I hope they come back to me often.  But they don't.  I know it's not me.  It's just the way people are today.  Self-absorbed.  So focused on themselves there is no room for anyone else and certainly no room for some old-school manners.  People get what they want and move onto the next thing they want without a fleeting thought about the person in front of them.  The person that helped them, served them, worked hard and pushed through "expected timeframe's" for them.  The person that is left standing and wondering why it is so hard for you to acknowledge what they have done.  That person is me.

Some clients are so pushy, so demanding, so greedy.  We tell them up front the process, the timeframes, the steps that need to be taken, but they don't listen; they want what they want right now.  I could be aggressive and take a stand.  But I know which fights to fight and those to let go.  I will never win.  The client's only morph into their toddler self and argue and scream and kick and complain higher up the chain.  So I do what I can, I move things through as fast as possible.  I speak to people and jump queues and ta-dah, in the midst of their grumbling I give them what they want.

Silence.  Nothing.  I sit in my chair and cross it off my list, another one done and then I stare at an empty inbox and a silent phone.  Can't someone just acknowledge the effort I went to?  Why are you so rude to me, so demanding of me, so pushy and aggressive with me?  Why do you speak to me in a way I hope you would never speak to your loved ones, and then in that moment when the money lands in your bank account, can you not just be human?  All I want is for a moment for you to see the world is bigger than your existence in it.  There are so many people standing in front of you, who want you to look us in the eye.  Acknowledge our existence in this world and perhaps if you can spare just a moment longer, utter those two very special words, "Thank You".