The good

I was standing in front of the freezers in Food Emporium, trying to decide between the buttermilk and the whole grain waffles, when I heard my phone ring. It was the volunteer coordinator from Beth Israel, where I volunteer at the ER. A few weeks ago I started a new shift at the adult ER - kids are cute and all, but sometimes it's a little boring at Peds - which I have been absolutely loving. It's pure adrenaline. The coordinator was calling me to tell me that they had received an email from a woman who was at the ER last week and whom I spent some time with. She wrote to the president of the hospital (!) to tell him how wonderful I was to her and what a big difference I had made in her stay at the hospital. She remembered my name and all. Amazing.

All of a sudden, I was standing there in the frozen section of the grocery store and started crying. I am not really sure why, I was just so happy. I managed to pull myself together and pay at the register, although I did almost leave without paying and made my way home where the email this woman wrote to the hospital president was waiting in my inbox. Wonderful, really! To be appreciated, although not really part of the expectations I have, is really nice. To know that what I do, even if very little, made some difference in someone's day. It's important. People aren't so bad after all.