A Gratitude Post #1

Today, I had a very good day.  I was able to go to work and accomplish a lot, which always makes me feel well.   I had 3 patients who told me I helped them with something, and 2 family members who expressed gratitude for my contacting them.  One disliked what I was telling her, but still acknowledged having a contact was better than not hearing anything at all.

Taki woke me up this morning.  She wanted breakfast, but when I was getting ready for work, she sat on my clothes. A sure sign she did not want me to go to work.  I thought she might be upset by the possibility of storms.  We had some showers this morning, but the storms came tonight.

For those of you who do not know, Taki is slightly developmentally delayed, so some things upset her more than others.  She was potty trained quickly as a baby.  However, some days, she has problems with making her mark, if you will.  Tonight was one of those times.  We had an electric squall blow through, at about the time Taki needed to use her litter dish. The storm was pretty much over head. She missed the litter box.  That upsets her, and she scratches, and scratches and scratches.  I think that is left over from when Sake schooled her about litter box etiquette, and did not hesitate to tell her when she violated that etiquette.  However, when I assure her she is okay, she is able to settle down.

The thing is, we do not always know, and often do not at all know what things will impact those in our world.  As Taki's life companion, I can predict some things, and sometimes, read the signs when I am missing the predictions.  And  Taki is persistent but patient.  

But we are all different, and something that impacts one of us, may not even have an effect on another of us. We cannot know.  But this is one of the skills of a social worker, to be receptive and open to the messages our clients give us that inform us of what is impacting their life and adding to their distress. Social workers start where their clients are: this may be physically, or even environmentally, but more often socially, emotionally, and psychologically. 

Oh, my gosh.  So I am thankful for my patients and their families, and for Taki, and her insecurities, but also her willingness to accept assurances from me.  These folks allowed me to address them where they were and gave me the indicators I need to address their needs in the future. 

Wow, I would consider that a highly positive day!

Unbroken - The Movie

I went to see the movie Unbroken http://www.unbrokenfilm.com/ today.  I was somewhat familiar with the story, as there has been a great deal of publicity about the movie, the director, Angela Jolie, and the hero, Louis Zamperini.  I knew the outcome, that he would survive the Japanese concentration camp.  I did not know all the inhumanities he suffered. I just knew he survived.  That is not a spoiler, if you hear anything about the movie, you know he survived.

The movie was based on the book Unbroken by Linda Hillenbrand. I prefer to read the book before I see the movie, but I wanted to see this movie, and I can read the book later.

I recommend this movie for age appropriate audiences.  I believe it is rated R.  The nudity, violence and vulgar language is not gratuitous, but consistent with the story.  It is a story with a message, about the human spirit.

I think having Unbroken open on Christmas Day sent a message about the human spirit, and the reason for the season.  Good work!

Communication

Haiku was in the garage.  Taki and Sake were in the house. It had been a while since I had checked on Haiku.  I was in the computer room.  Taki and Sake came into the computer room at the same time, and wanted my attention. I knew what it was: Haiku wanted into the house from the garage. I finished what I was doing, acknowledged both cats, and went to the garage. Sure enough.  Haiku wanted in. 

Amazing! Tonight, all three cats are in the computer room with me.  Haiku and Taki are frequently in the computer room. Sake occasionally joins me, and if she does, she curls up in the basket that she infrequently used, but that I appropriated for Taki when she was a baby. Taki seldom uses the basket now, and Sake uses it more and more.

I am so pleased to have all three cats for company.

Movies with a Message

I re watched Invictus http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/dvd/index.html  or http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/ tonight.  If you are not familiar with the movie, it is the story of Nelson Mandela, newly elected President of South Africa, enjoining the forces of the rugby team to inspire the nation to a sense of unity.

I really like sports movies that actually have a greater good theme.  And, many sports movies do.

I think it is important to recognize the influence of Clint Eastwood  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000142/bio  in movies that have more than an entertainment theme.  He has risen from TV heart throb Rowdy Yates in Rawhide to spaghetti western star to a very talented actor, producer, director of some very important movies.  Yeah Clint Eastwood. And, in the process, he was mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

So, Invictus is just one movie with a message, and Clint Eastwood has supplied us many more.