A Random Act of Kindness

This was a busy Saturday. I spent the morning in reflection and prayer knowing I would have to prepare a talk for Monday at Marquette University in Milwaukee WI. I am always collecting more material and never know what to add where. This time I speak to an Ethics class and the prof's second vocation is establishing Vet2Vet groups of Iraq veterans to provide an avenue of healing for soldiers with PTSD. I want to find out more about the program as we would like to do the same here in Chicago. The suicide rate for our veterans is at about 120 successful suicides a week, 1000 attempts reported by the VA. The true cost of war is born by soldiers and civilians. I work to end war.

So I headed out, stopped at the local hairdresser who is Spanish and who spent the whole time cutting my hair while she spoke in Spanish to a friend who was visiting. I wish I knew Spanish, a project for when I get on with my life. Then to the library and the crux of the story. I have had a horrible time with the "automated high tech" reserve a book, be notified it is in, go pick it up system. I am supposed to get a phone call, never had. I have been hassled by this process for over a year. The Chicago Public Library web site is no better, I can't navigate it with any success. So I need to do this every month as I belong to a book club and the books have to be found and reserved within the system. Sigh.

I went to the library, I happened to have my check book because I needed to pay for the haircut but I had no cash as I was doing errands on the way to the armory to sweat on the treadmill and use the weight machines. I went to the reference desk, new lady for me and asked if I could reserve a book. She took the name and attempted however I had a "book fine" and was locked out until I paid the fine. The book was the Bagavhad Gita that I had been reading during my weekly visits with a Hindu lady. She died this past week so I no longer needed it. (Her son had kept her alive way too long on an IV. Finally thank God her veins collapsed and it could no longer be inserted. She was blind and able to eat only minimally. We had trouble controlling her pain, always present. She was non-verbal, bound to the bed, needed help for everything.) She would reach out and hold our hand, not wanting to let go.

I owed 60 cents in fines cash only. Yikes, I couldn't get the book ordered unless I paid the fine. I asked, "Can I write a check?" Response by the nice lady behind the counter, "Only if it is $5." I knew mine would not be that much. I had to do this. The counter lady asked the supervisor who happened to know the story of my difficulties with the system and book reserving. She said, "No, you can't write a check for $.60" Then the random act of kindness "I will pay the fine for her." I said, "Thank you so much but I really do want to write a check for the library." She said, "Write it to the Friends of the Library." So the head librarian paid my fine and I gave a donation to the Library! I told her, "Thank you so very much for your kindness."

I then went back to the reference library and ordered my book. It is very popular. The name is something like, "Eat, pray and Love" by a Gilbert.

I came home and made banana bread my favorite when I have too ripe bananas. I will take it and offer it to the class on Monday. I figure college students are always good for snacks. Then I headed to the garden to apply 5 bags of mulch to the annual bed. I "tuck them in" but it got dark too quick and I could not give them a drink of fertilizer as I had hoped. I will have to do that on Tuesday. As I need to do it for sure before my vacation.

Then I made dinner; a recipe from Whole Foods: risotto with basil and tomato, asparagus spears
and scallops a favorite of mine. Today it made 5 meals of a cup of each. I eat one and freeze the rest. So good... I had made chicken soup earlier so I have about 10 meals frozen. It really helps as I come home at 7 PM three days a week. Thank goodness for microwaves. I make a Tupperware bowl of salad, usually lasts me most of the week and so it is easy to make a complete quick supper when I get home.

Tomorrow I am off to Milwaukee after liturgy at the Harold. I have a new patient on the way so I may try to see him. He is a twin and his brother is devastated. I actually got a call while I was on night call this week. I rarely get them which is good as I get paid only $10 a night to "carry the beeper" actually my cell phone. A woman whose spouse died today wanted the other chaplain. So I left her a phone message. Easy enough!