Reacting and Responding - Part 2 - A Lighter Look

Theresa was clueless as to the
fun that awaited her!

In May of this year, my emotions were running on overdrive.  My Mom's health was declining at lightning speed; the needs for her care were changing daily; and I was exhausted!  As we prepared for our Flagship ReMe Retreat on Ocracoke Island, it seemed as if new challenges presented themselves on a daily basis.  Some, a flat tire or misplaced keys, were minor.  Others... like Mom's speedier than expected discharge from rehab, my swan dive down the stairs as I was packing for ReMe, and her caretaker's stroke on her first full day of work... were more significant.

Through it all, there were also bright spots.  Through it all, I somehow managed to trust that everything was happening for a reason.  Through it all, I maintained faith that the right solutions would present themselves at the exact time that I needed them most.  Thankfully this was consistently the case.

Midweek during our retreat, as I was enjoying a delightful shower under the Carolina Blue Sky, I discovered a 'skin tag' on my upper thigh.  Puzzled by this tag that I'd never felt previously, I perched Karate Kid style on my one good leg to glimpse it in the waist high mirror.  My balance not being at its best a few short days after my fall, I still couldn't be sure,.  So, I rinsed as quickly as possible, re-donned my soft stretchy pajamas, and proceeded directly to the house where I sought help.

(It should be noted that I strongly suspected that the 'skin tag' in question was actually a tick.  Ticks are one of those creatures that totally and completely freak me out!  When suspicion first dawned, I wanted to scream like a child and run like the wind; but I couldn't.  It's hard to run from one's own thigh, and I was playing Hostess at the time.  If I'd screamed and run naked away from The Inn, my ReMe Sisters would have been puzzled, and potentially scarred for life.)

Lynne has mad artistic skills, and luckily for me also

oodles of experience as a nurse and nursing instructor!

Thankfully, our cool-headed Den Mother, Theresa, and ReMe Guest Extraordinaire, Lynne Simon Suprock, came to my rescue.  The tick was painlessly removed amidst our raucous laughter; the doctor was called; and any possible ill effects of the experience were thwarted.

The moral of this story...

Reacting by running naked and screaming would have been bad for all involved.

Responding by quietly asking for help, and laughing about the experience for days, provided a positive outcome for the experience and, a story that will last a lifetime.

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Do you respond, react, or a bit of both?  

I'd love to hear all about it in the comment section of this post!