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~~~~~~~ WITandWISDOM™ - March 16, 1999 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Encouragement after censure is as the sun after a shower. - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (E-zine: INSPIRE http://www.infoadvn.com/inspire/) ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: As a young social worker in a New York City psychiatric clinic, I was asked to see Roz, a 20-year-old woman who had been referred to us from another psychiatric facility. It was an unusual referral in that no information was received ahead of her first appointment. I was told to "play it by ear." and to figure out what her problems were and what she needed. Without a diagnosis to go on, I saw Roz as an unhappy, misunderstood young woman who hadn't been listened to in her earlier therapy. Her family situation was unpleasant. I didn't see her as disturbed, but rather as lonely and misunderstood. She responded so positively to being heard. I worked with her to start a life worth living - to find a job, a satisfying place to live and new relationships. We hit it off well, and she started making important changes in her life right away. The records from the previous psychiatric facility arrived a month after Roz and I began our successful work together. To my complete surprise, her records were several inches thick, describing a number of psychiatric hospitalizations. Her diagnosis was "paranoid schizophrenic," with a comment on her being "hopeless." That had not been my experience with Roz at all. I decided to forget those pieces of paper. I never treated her as if she had that "hopeless" diagnosis. (It was a lesson for me in questioning the value and certainty of diagnoses.) I did find out about the horrors for Roz of those hospitalizations, of being drugged, isolated and abused. I also learned a lot from her about surviving such traumatic circumstances. First Roz found a job, then a place to live away from her difficult family. After several months of working together, she introduced me to her husband-to-be, a successful businessman who adored her. When we completed our therapy, Roz gave me the gift of a silver bookmark and a note that said, "Thank you for believing me well." I have carried that note with me and I will for the rest of my life, to remind me of the stand I take for people, thanks to one brave woman's triumph over a "hopeless" diagnosis. By Judy Tatelbaum from Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work, Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Maida Rogerson, Martin Rutte & Tim Clauss (E-zine: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL http://www.soupserver.com/) ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Potlucks and Christians go together like dirty socks and playgrounds. We all love to fellowship and eat! Or, is that eat and fellowship? But, this creates a problem - there are things that you eat and see and experience at a potluck that are . . . unique to say the least! No doubt about it, potlucks can be stressful on the appetite and conversation! COMMENTS OVERHEARD AT POTLUCK Oh, what an interesting texture! I didn't know there were that many shades of green! Oh, Fred, don't get worked up, she told you it was a new Band-Aid! Besides, you love potato salad! Trudy, your egg salad bust of the preacher is very, um, uh, er. . .creative! You say missionaries gave you this recipe?! What do you mean the dog wouldn't eat it?! I didn't think you could deep fry that! If Jell-O and vegetables were meant to exist together, Bill Cosby would have been a vegetarian! Was that SUPPOSED to be crunchy? -With much thanks to Geoff Clarke for help on this one! (Hinshaws via E-zine: MONDAY FODDER Mailto:dgaufaaa@iohk.com) ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A college student was in a philosophy class which had a discussion about God's existence. The professor had the following logic: "Has anyone in this class heard God?" Nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class touched God?" Again, nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class seen God?" When nobody spoke for the third time, he simply stated, "Then there is no God." The student did not like the sound of this at all, and asked for permission to speak. The professor granted it, and the student stood up and asked the following questions of his classmates: "Has anyone in this class heard our professor's brain?" Silence. "Has anyone in this class touched our professor's brain?" Absolute silence. "Has anyone in this class seen our professor's brain?" When nobody in the class dared to speak, the student concluded, "Then, according to our professor's logic, it must be true that our professor has no brain!" The student received an "A" in the class. (Fred Miller via E-zine: MONDAY FODDER Mailto:dgaufaaa@iohk.com) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: It's time to elect a world leader, and your vote counts. Here's the scoop on three leading candidates. CANDIDATE A: Associates with ward healers and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day. CANDIDATE B: Was kicked out of office twice. Sleeps until noon. Used opium in college. Drinks a quart of brandy every evening. CANDIDATE C: Is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian. Doesn't smoke, Drinks an occasional beer. Hasn't had any illicit affairs. Which of these candidates is your choice? You don't really need any more information, do you? Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt Candidate B is Winston Churchill Candidate C is Adolph Hitler (E-zine: HEADSCRAPS™ Mailto:headscraps-subscribe@onelist.com) |