My week started with a string of night shifts. For various reasons, I made the transition from practicing at a local hospital to one that is up the road over an hour. As an experiment, I took the train to work. As that experiment played out, my coffee intake was delayed. I found myself at the hospital’s cashless coffee shop nearly 2 hours into my shift trying to buy a 16 oz Americano. I didn’t have my credit card on me, and the card reader wasn’t accepting my Google Pay.
A woman standing behind me just walked up and bought my coffee.
I’ve been short on sleep. Today I reluctantly forced myself out of bed to get to a Chamber of Commerce meeting. My energy was particularly low. I got to sit next to a new friend of mine, and he and I both describe our business as building relationships. During the meeting, a few minor situations arose and those leading the meeting clearly went out of their way to navigate those situations with kindness, respect and gentleness. It filled me with warmth and inspiration.
We see what we look for.
My office complex has some assigned parking. I have placed a sign with my name and logo at my parking spot. To my surprise, when I arrived to work today, this pair of crutches was laying under the sign at my parking spot. My best guess is that this was a donation/gift to me because the person knows I’m a doctor and perhaps I can find someone that can use the crutches.
I’ve been tired, working a grinding/grueling schedule. I’m overdue for vacation. That’s the negativity bias to which we all default. It’s amplified by my lack of sleep and my disappointment with a few projects. But here are those crutches. Someone was paying them forward. At the meeting this morning, people were showing their love and kindness to those around them in their unique way. A stranger I didn’t know could sense my caffeine deprivation and bought me a ton of caffeine to help my night get going.
I founded Candid to build the relationships that will help individuals and the community create joy. We are better together.
Happy Friday!
-Dr. Joe
