The Smile that Changed Everything

4 Sometimes we put labels on people or we have preconceived ideas which may or may not be wrong. But perhaps, a better approach would be to keep a blank slate and go into a situation without any expectations and then form opinions as we go. Of course, every situation is unique and we have some wisdom so we should be able to decipher.

I think I found my writing streak..lol

Grouchy old woman she was, I was told
Everyone her care was quick to thrust away
Every step in her room was always timed
For haste had to be made to get away from the grouchy old woman
Then my turn it was to care for this person
Gory tales I had already heard
Looking forward to this task, I was not
But the job had to be done
And there I was to do it; excited I was not
I delayed as much I reasonably could
Slow to attend to this patient I was
Save the best for the last?
I saved the "worst" for the last!


Like a hangman to the rope, I walked
Prepared to do my best
Expecting the worst
Knocking on the door, I bravely walked in
And in a moment of repose caught her
A faraway look in her eyes there was
Asked I of her, "Is everything okay?"
And out poured a poignant tale of a loved one gone by
And tales of a life gone by
Pictures were shown of dear loved ones
A connection we had made


That put this "grouchy old woman" in good light
Grouchy she was not
Her expressions though wrong
Concealed a broken heart
Weep not, dear person
"It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved"
I smiled and she smiled back
Tis true; a smile begets a smile
I walked out the room, ashamed of my thoughts
I almost did not give this woman a chance
From opinions already made
A promise I made, to go henceforth
With no opinions made
A blank slate I would be,
A chance I would give
To my next, "grouchy old woman"

-The_Optimist Last edit by The_Optimist on Sep 8, '13
So true, so true! This was one lesson I learned even before I became an RN. I was working as a nurse-extern at the time. It seemed like every time I received report I was told, "this one is mean and grouchy" or "this one gave me hell all day, beware." What I found was that it was not the patient who was the grouchy one and if you approached them with compassion and an open mind, they were not what you were told. Great post!!!!!