Tuesday Ramble

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

(Thumper, Bambi, The Walt Disney Company, 1942) 

Here we are in the first week of November already, and I spent some time over the weekend planning my Thanksgiving menu. My goodness. Anyone have any suggestions on how to slow time down? I just can't seem to keep up anymore. Speaking of time, I came across an interesting concept of it in 'The Door to Halloween', which, by the way was a fantastic fantasy read.  

'Time is speeding back up', Marion growled as he looked back at the army moving together a the top of the hill below and looking about in confusion.

'Time will hurry itself, now.  The difference must be paid.  For the eternities of youthful mornings are paid with the flight of the aged evening,' the mummy said mournfully.  

Interesting way of looking at it, right? 

Yesterday several of my (ex) co-workers texted me to inform me that things are not well at the job, and all are looking for other employment. My replacement was hired in September, and he has resigned already.  In fact, it seems to have gotten so bad that they now have to work on Saturdays and holidays to get their paperwork caught up, and there is talk of closing the program altogether.  Why is it that I am not surprised? When one person is allowed to skate along and not pull their weight, the brunt of the work falls on everyone else, and eventually it catches up. And what really has them angry is that they are being asked to cover her groups and see her clients while she 'supposedly' does her paperwork which, by the way,  is over three years behind.  I feel bad for them, yes, but that part of my life is over, and I would appreciate a 'We miss you.  How are you doing?' much more than the office gossip.

 

Each one of them could not wait to contact me to deliver the news, and I am sure I picked up on a tinge of disappointment when each discovered that they weren't the first to deliver the news. Since my retirement  in July,  only one person has called to see how I am doing, and now that there is bad news to spread, they are falling over each other for the opportunity to tell of it.  Nothing has changed. And now that they all know I have received the news, I have to wonder how long it will be before someone contacts me again.  Not until the next big gossip surfaces I suppose.

Makes me shake my head and wonder. Why do some people find it so easy to complain and criticize and so much harder to  find something nice to say about someone?  If it wasn't so sad it would be funny. Is it so easy to forget the lessons their parents taught them?  Or did they never teach them at all?

In closing, I thought I would share this little story of Thumper, the little white rabbit from Bambi. It is a lesson for all.

Thumper, he was a cute little rabbit, asked the mama deer what she was going to call her baby. She smiled and looked down at her son and then at Thumper. "I am going to call him Bambi," she said. 

Thumper stood there for a moment, thumping his foot. "That's a funny name", he said at last. 

Thumper's mommy scolded him, very gently."Thumper", she said, "What did your father tell you this morning?" 

Thumper hung his head down, just a bit and replied, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all!" 

And you know, that is really what we should all remember. We should always remember to say nice things about each other.