Golden Nuggets
Professor Jo Clarke PhD
Providing what you and your business need to thrive - at work and at life
I am going to?talk about golden nuggets – not the cereal (is that still available?), but life’s golden nuggets!
And, please note that the self-disclosure is for illustrative purposes only – NOT for sympathy. Sympathy and golden nuggets are two different things.
It’s been a tough few months. My (foster) daughter of six years became ill in February and after two major surgeries has been diagnosed with an incredibly rare liver sarcoma. Months of chemo are now planned. She is 20. She’s already experienced the worst life has to offer. It makes me want to rage at the world.
On the same day she received her diagnosis, I received confirmation that my mum’s deteriorating health is indeed Alzheimer’s. She lives over 200 miles away and I am desperately trying to move her to sheltered housing two minutes from my home. Our house purchasing system is broken. It is infuriating!
In amongst all this, I fell off my horse and broke my back. Three days flat on my back in hospital is not an experience I want to repeat. I was very well looked after by our NHS and am already very close to a full recovery. I should be literally back in the saddle in a few weeks. Metaphorically I already am!
It would be so easy to focus on the tragedy and trauma of these circumstances, and very understandable too, but keeping psychological balance means ensuring you balance what you give your attention too. If I’m solely focussed on the dark side, that is where I’ll stay. And the truth is, in amongst the pain and heartache, there have been golden nuggets. Here’s just few of them, and they are mostly people …
The PA to the liver consultant who has been a rock to both me and my foster daughter through consultations and surgeries, and even visited ‘H’ post-surgery when I couldn’t get there because of my back.
The woman who served tea and snacks when I was in hospital – she remembered my name and how I liked my tea and always had time for a quick chat – she made me feel human.
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The woman at my mum’s local council who found and sent me a 20-year-old planning permission (without it, the already three month long house sales process would be even longer). I honestly thought I would have to do a 500 mile round trip to my mum’s house to find it.
The PA to the oncology consultant who seems to have become my therapist.
There are so many more examples of these golden nuggets: people who would say they’re just doing their job, but not realising the disproportionate amount of joy and relief and light they bring in pretty dark times.
And then of course there are all my friends who message, send hearts, listen, make me laugh, take the proverbial …
No matter how difficult things get, I hope I am always able to see the sparkle of golden nuggets, because I know without doubt, they help me keep my balance.
I hope you find can find a few of your own golden nuggets, because like stars, once you’ve seen one, you start seeing them everywhere.? Or, if you don’t need golden nuggets right now, or have an abundance of them, be one for someone else. You may never know the impact you have, but you could be the one, the glint of hope in a difficult place, that stops someone toppling over the edge.
| Probation & Juvenile Justice | Criminal Justice Reform Advisor | Women & Youth Empowerment | Restorative Justice | Podcast Guest Speaker | Positive Social Change | Design & Delivery Training | GBV | CSE |
1 个月Professor Jo Clarke PhD Thank you for sharing