Obey The Direction, It’s For Your Protection

I am half work work work, and half trying to keep myself sane at the moment. I try to switch off at night otherwise I can’t stop thinking about our patients and the vulnerable members of my family.

It’s great to come home from a long day at work and look at all the posts that have been published during the day. You are all like bright sparks cheering me up at the end of a stressful day.

I can tell that many peeps are perplexed. I understand why. For us at work adrenaline has kicked in and we are on full alert. There is a lot of stress around us. I am finding more than ever singing is helping me. I sing on my way to work. It lifts my heart. I would sing home but normally a friend or a relative is calling me as soon as I leave work so I tend to be chattering away on the walk home from work.

Singing does wonders for me. What do you do when stress is on the rise to lift your spirits instantly? I have been searching out things to cheer me up and fortify my thinking. I have ended up not only with things to make me laugh or smile, but wonderful wonderful heart warming things to infuse me with power.

I have been telling every one of our patients, stay calm, don’t panic, but listen and obey the direction, it is for your protection! I found a children’s song on line that I found very moving. I think it sums up what the NHS and government agencies are trying to say:

PLEASE LISTEN, PLEASE OBEY. THE DIRECTION IS FOR YOUR PROTECTION!

Hand washing and self-isolation for anyone with coronavirus symptoms, over seventies and other at risk groups. We are working very hard to make sure you have what you need! Please please helps us by taking the directions seriously. We want to limit the extent of loss of life and suffering. We are all in this in together! Please speak positively about handwashing and self-isolation. Don’t let people think this is an optional thing. Make sure they understand it will save lives!

 

They Are Immensely Precious To Us

At times like this (you know the C-word is on everyone’s mind), I believe it is important for people to listen to the advice from authorities and be obedient to advice and instructions.

In different lands, different advice and instructions are being issued. But wherever we live, we ought to cooperate with what authorities ask of us.

It may well be inconvenient. It may feel Draconian. However, there is an important reason behind the advice being issued: LIFE IS INCREDIBLY PRECIOUS.

I work with charities that regularly schedule projects and events which involve a lot of people of different ages. We have been told that all large projects and events are to be postponed. Why? Because the lives of our volunteers and those that benefit from our work are priceless.

Over the past few years, we have made a number of changes that now seem very fortuitous. That means that we can continue with all of our training programmes. But now volunteers will not gather in an arena, they will watch the program either live or when it is convenient to them from the comfort of their homes as the training is broadcast to them. In addition to the training, there will be some very encouraging reports and a little entertainment included in the programmes to keep the spirits of our volunteers up while they are unable to work together face to face.

All of our older volunteers are very dear to us. But we will be making sure that they are not exposed to any risks. If any need support over the coming weeks or months, younger volunteers are to prioritise on caring for their needs – whether that be shopping or encouragement via a telephone call or online chat. We don’t want anyone to suffer due to loneliness or to feel forgotten.

But we will make sure that we do everything we can to care for those who have given of themselves, their time and resources for years, even decades. They have shown enormous love to us, and we are going to make sure we show them how we feel about them. We don’t want to lose a single soul.

Our charities are going to carry on as best they can, but they are going to follow the advice and authorities in every land they operate. They are going to operate within the same principles that govern everything we do – love. We love people. We are going to protect all those precious ones who are most at risk during this time.

Listening And Learning Can Be Lovely

It’s been an eventful week! So I am late again with this week’s SHARE-YOUR-WORLD post. I love the chance to share a little of my view of the world at large and my own little but lovely world. The questions from Melanie, the creator of sparksfromacombustiblemind, are always just too good to resist. So I had to make sure I finished my post before the weekend was through. Here is Melanie’s original post, so you can take a look at the original questions and all the great posts from other bloggers who participate in SHARE-YOUR-WORLD:

https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2019/09/16/share-your-world-9-16-19/

QUESTIONS:

Are we losing the art of listening in comparison to simply hearing?

Yes, this is an interesting question indeed.

I always understood the word “listening” to mean that you hear and act, or hear and obey. In fact somewhere I have read that in some ancient languages the same word was used for “listen” and “obey”. I always thought hearing could be more passive. Whereas, I have always understood the process of listening to demand that you fix your attention on something and respond or act on what is heard.

There is a lot of noise in this world, it’s hard to avoid hearing that “noise”. But to choose to fix your attention on something or someone and to heed such…well, that can require some effort and conscious choice.

Someone might think they are listening…however, there is so much bias and prejudice in their heart, they are only mentally arguing regarding what they have heard. (Which might not seem like a bad thing, if it seems utter nonsense.) So, it can take great effort to prepare yourself to listen with retention.

A very skilled listener may also be able to not just hear and respond to the words spoken, but to discern the tone of voice and other indicators of what a person is actually feeling…regardless of their choice of words. I often think of my parents. They were very good at listening. Even when I didn’t say how I felt or voice my concerns, they knew something was wrong and they listened to what I was and wasn’t telling them. They were deeply interested. Someone who is really interested in something or someone tends to be a much better listener.

Listening is a marvellous skill…to be cultivated and trained. It can mean your very life!

How often do you openly discuss with friends or here in WP with your readership topics that make you feel uncomfortable or may be taboo or stigma laden?

Oh my friends and I discuss all sorts of fascinating subjects! There are no limits to the topics and subjects we handle.

Hmm.I would say that my site is on the whole light-hearted and lively. I hope you find CRUSHED CARAMEL (LEARNER AT LOVE) that way. But I am not afraid of interesting questions. I am aware that on certain subjects there are diverse opinions, and I do appreciate that in stating my own opinion on a matter, there is a possibility that someone who disagrees with such may feel alienated.

Sometimes other bloggers might raise interesting questions, and I may choose to attempt to provide an answer. But I would be cautious. Whenever these “provoking” questions come up, I do try to be careful and considerate. I would not wish to be belligerent or cause any offence.

Do you think that these discussions should be freely discussed and written about more?

Hmm. I am not afraid of engaging in subjects that are difficult to discuss, because I am careful in how I approach them. However, if you tackle a subject and express your opinions in a manner that could cause someone else to feel threatened and intimidated, or offended, well, naturally you may expect to lose some readers. You can decide for yourself whether you care about that. I am sure that the main reason that I am invited to so many dinner parties is that I have that training in tact, discretion, diplomacy that means I can be at any dinner table, and part of any discussion without causing any offense or embarrassment.

I am careful to remember that a person may have deeply treasured beliefs and views that are holding them together, and that have helped them to endure all manner of challenges in their life. Their faith and their hope may be very sacred to them. Presenting your own beliefs or views in a respectful and reasonable manner allows someone to consider them. Make your expressions palatable though. If you deliver your opinions like punches…you’ll entertain those of like-mind, and alienate others.

It is cruel to turn on someone else’s deeply treasured views with a sledge-hammer and leave them with nothing. If you are the kind of debater that aggressively seeks to demolish all other possible opinions that differ from your own and have no regard for causing another person to crumble…well – I hardly know what to say to you! Maybe that’s why I don’t see you at dinner parties! I wonder if it is really more important to win arguments or win hearts. Is it more important to always be right, or to be kind?

Did you have a nickname as a child and if so, what was [or what is it now]?

Jo.

I needed a tomboy name. Melody is rather girly. Jo seemed more fitting for my character. I was a tree-climbing, football playing, pond-wading, scaffolding invading, rope swinging kind of a girl.

Jo is part of my middle name. So Jo it was.

Why is there still ‘stuff’ we simply just don’t understand despite our progressive world?

“Progressive” – I am not so sure that is the word that would come to my mind when I contemplate this “world”. I consider it more along the lines of “lost” and “estranged” from our Creator. Trying to learn about creation, while ignoring the purpose of the Designer and Creator, is always going to lead humans to wrong conclusions, some of which are very harmful.

Humankind are crying out for help. I have every confidence that we will learn and understand and progress forever, under the loving guidance of our Creator. We are all learners at love.

What is your most essential kitchen tool?  (Can be a person you know.  For the non-cooks in the crowd).

I absolutely love my food processor. I love making hummus and pesto. I love making coleslaw and being able to make biscuit crumbs for the base of cheese-cakes so quickly.

---

Gratitude Question:

Who is one blogger you really admire and why?

There are so many bloggers who I admire for all sorts of reasons. It is really hard to single out one. So I will give you three for a start. If you follow their blogs and have any idea of their personalities and qualities…you will know exactly why I mention them. But I could easily supply another thirty bloggers who I truly admire.

Are you one of those curious types who wants me to give a reason for why I have mentioned these three…well, I will try to explain. We all face challenges at some point, I draw huge encouragement and inspiration from the way people deal with challenges they have faced. Endurance, determination, fighting spirit…and a remarkable way of communicating and chronicling how they have dealt with challenges. Hats off ladies – you are all awesome!

 Abigail Johnston – No Half Measures

 ashleyleia – Mental Health @ Home

 Laurie – Meditations in Motion