Think on Good Things exists to simply share positive, funny, and uplifting stories and information of people, places, and things. Thinking on Good Things can provide a boost for any day! I hope you enjoy!
As so many people traverse the countrysides this month searching excitedly for the brilliant colors of autumn, it joyfully reminds each of us that hope, joy, and wonder still abound….that despite all of the stresses and demands of daily life – we continue to reach out, to look for the beauty and blessings surrounding us every day, to celebrate the joys and wonder of our world. These blessings are ours to be enjoyed freely. We must only seek them out and celebrate them!
If you live in Arkansas or southwest Missouri, making the drive to Maplewood Cemetery in Harrison, Arkansas is time well spent each autumn. A well-known Arkansas treasure, the quiet, always beautiful cemetery is crowded and busy during the fall as people from miles around visit to see the beautiful foliage. The colors are beautiful right now, so if you haven’t visited before, this is a good time to head to Harrison. The images here were taken at Maplewood this week. If you can’t visit, please “walk” through the beauty here by viewing these photos. I so very much hope you enjoy them!
If you would like to learn more about Maplewood Cemetery, click here to read an interesting online article by Deb Peterson about the history of this incredibly beautiful place! I was delighted to find out that the beauty of Maplewood was due to the efforts of dedicated ladies in the 1920’s with foresight and vision we all benefit from today. What a lovely gift to all of us! What a lovely legacy!
Hospitals are unique places – in both positive and negative ways. I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals the past couple of years due to an ongoing family medical situation and those experiences have given me so many Glimpses of Excellence to share…. Here’s one of them..
One afternoon recently, I stepped into a hospital elevator and smiled at the young woman inside. She seemed quiet, pleasant, and….tired. I saw on her badge that she worked for the hospital food service, pushing a loaded warmer cart to deliver meals to hundreds of patients – then returning afterwards to their rooms to pick up all the empty trays and dishes. I thought about how tired she must be at the end of her work day and wondered how many steps registered routinely on her FitBit.
“You have a hard job”, I commented. “Oh no, I have an easy job.” she said quickly, smiling sweetly….then her smile slowly faded and she became visibly thoughtful. “Well, actually sometimes it’s really hard going into some of those rooms”, she said quietly.
I pondered her words for the rest of the day….realizing how very hard that could be….. Her quiet comment made me thoughtful. I’m often a tiny bit nervous walking into a room where strangers are present. I might even pause, collect myself, and take a breath before opening the door. This young lady not only has to brace herself to walk into a room full of strangers over and over every day…. She faces much greater difficulties – because she is walking into rooms where people are very sick, perhaps dying, some all alone with no family or friends…. It would be a difficult thing to face….but she does it over and over every single day.
It also made me think about Irene. Irene and her sister Miss. B clean rooms on the hospital wing where my mother was a patient for many weeks this year. Irene is a rare gem, a bright glimpse of excellence, who faithfully does her job day after day, facing the same challenges as the young lady I met in the elevator. She is a tiny little thing with a bright smile and a big voice. She does her job well, cleaning with diligence and dedication – noticing details and always doing her best. She doesn’t just mop the floor – she scrubs it clean. That hospital room always felt so much better when she was finished – cleaner, brighter, and even more hopeful and cheerful.
That, in itself, is a wonderful example of excellence – but Irene always does so much more. First of all, she diligently makes it a point to learn the patient’s names, as well as family members who stay with them. That’s no small task! She learned not only my Mother’s name, but mine, our friends, and our family members who visited as well! Irene greeted us with sincere warmth each time she saw us. Every single day when she entered Mother’s hospital room, she would enthusiastically exclaim, “Hello, Mrs. Jean! How are you today?” with her beautiful accent and a broad smile on her face. She would greet me as well (by name!) and would remember details of past conversations, following up on discussions, sharing her own life, and showing genuine interest in and concern for both of us. We looked forward to her visits every day.
There is an old saying I love that says to “bloom where you are planted”. Irene is definitely blooming – and like all beautiful flowers she is brightening the lives of many, providing beauty, encouragement, strength, and joy.
We should all try to do the same.
Thank you, Irene. I am very grateful for the care you showed and the encouragement you provided. I will never forget you.
I saw a 1000 different pictures on my drive to work today…. Okay, to be realistic, maybe it wasn’t actually 1000….but it really was close! I like to leave early in the morning so that I can stop and take pictures on my drive, but I was running behind and didn’t allow as much time today…..and of course – the morning was just spectacular. The grasses are still green in the Ozarks and there was a foggy mist rising up from the ground. It was just beautiful. Often when the mists are rising, the skies are a foggy gray, but that wasn’t the case this morning. They were brilliantly blue overhead with just a hint of peach and pink on the horizon. The clouds were fluffy and white, and edged in gold as the sun came up behind them. There were hints of autumn color showing here and there. I wanted so badly to stop, set up, and take some shots….but there was no time, so I just drove along happily enjoying the beautiful views.
I was taught from an early age to watch for beauty – to notice it and celebrate it. My mother always enthusiastically does just that – noticing every detail and appreciating the beautiful blessings of God’s nature. She has set a wonderful example.
A few weeks ago, I wanted to get a picture of autumn leaves beginning to turn so I went out for a drive and invited her along. The colors really weren’t easy to find, and I was about to give up for the evening. Mother, always trying to help, mentioned that she had noticed a pretty little tree with some nice color in a parking lot near the pharmacy. She had ridden there earlier in the day to pick up a prescription – and noticed the tree as she passed by. I drove across town, and there it was. She was right – and I happily took a few shots. Success! I was so impressed that she noticed it – just a little tree in the middle of a concrete parking lot she had ridden by during a busy day. I’m thankful that she has taught me by example to watch for the beauty and blessings, but I am even more grateful that she has taught me to share it.
About a week ago, she and I were walking together down the sidewalk in my neighborhood. The leaves were showing some color and there were a few pretty red ones on the ground. Mother was delighted – and each time we passed one that was lying face down, she carefully stooped down, picked it up, and turned it over. “There”, she would say, “now everyone walking by can see how pretty it is and hopefully enjoy it too.”
It may seem like a small thing – just turning over a leaf – but it’s really not. Mother’s back bothers her some – so her actions were not without challenge or pain – but it was worth it to her….even though she will probably never know who appreciated or enjoyed her efforts.
I’m so thankful for her examples and what she teaches me. Finding beauty and sharing it with others makes my days better. It brings me joy – and I hope brings joy to others as well.
