This is Fred, my new little workplace friend.
This is the story of Fred. I had been having some difficult times at work - most of which was coming from sources outside my control. And a lot of it just coming from the fact that I've missed a lot of work this winter, both from illness & from weather - the constant snow & ice storms have made the commute more difficult. Plus, in addition to that, I was just feeling like my workspace was fairly blah - dark, gray, lots of storage stuff, no real personality. So a couple of weeks ago I was just having a really hard day. I talked about it with Lori, one of my rock-star co-workers. I come in the next morning to find this cuttle little guy (gal) sitting up on my monitor....along with pink flowers & a pink candle on my desk. Lori just went out of her way to do something(s) nice for me. Totally cheered me up & my mood has stayed on top since. Melissa (my office mate) & I decided to name the guy Fred - then we realized she was wearing a skirt and is a girl - but she still looks like a Fred to me. So Fred it is.
I have spent a lot of the last month or so feeling ill again, which has been really difficult. I do my best to stay gluten-free. And it's been over a year since I was diagnosed with celiac disease. 2007 was - hands down - the healthiest year of my life. I went months without a sick day, which is really a miracle for me. I used to wake up every single morning feeling like I needed to call in sick. If I made it to work 5 days in one week, it felt like a miracle. And I'd sleep, quite literally, almost all weekend long, only to still feel exhausted on Monday, having to start the cycle all over again. Most people thought it was all in my head. Everything was a battle. Going gluten-free changed all of that. 2007 was different. I started to really feel better in April, and all of a sudden, work weeks weren't so bad. Weekends could be for relaxation - but also for fun & to spend real time with Dan. And on Mondays, I was ready to work again (or at least, as ready as anyone else is, lol.)
But the last couple months were tricky again. A lot of the same old non-specific illness, tiredness, etc, etc. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I was missing some work days again. Getting behind in my scrapping, writing, blogging, etc. Finally, about a month ago I discovered that I was accidentally getting exposed to gluten REPEATEDLY due to the improper manufacturing & labeling practices of a very prominent company - eating something that should have been safe, but wasn't. Miniscule amounts can hurt me - I cannot eat even a small crumb of bread without becoming sick. So my health was down again, and I was feeling sick again. A lot. Even this past week - on Monday I was really starting to think I was feeling better - and then I popped a fever of 101.4 out of nowhere, to discover I have stomach flu. I'm finally feeling slightly better today, and hoping to return to work tomorrow, even if just for a partial day.
I've cut out the offending food from my diet (obviously) and hopefully this will be the last bout of anything I have to deal with for awhile, and I can get back on schedule with things.
So what does Fred have to do with all of this? Well, a lot. Here's the thing. It's these little random acts of kindness that can totally change things for people. In the midst of what's been a really difficult time for me, a co-worker just did this tiny little thing for me, which for me, has really been a huge thing. My mood is better, and I'm happier at work - I'm even happier at home. I mean, if you were at work, and this Fred was smiling at you all day, could you help but smile back? That's what I thought.
So I guess my challenge to you guys is to think about these little random things that make life awesome - and scrap one. Whether it's something someone's done for you, or something you've done for someone else, these little bits and pieces of life should get recorded, too. I think Fred deserves a place in my scrapbooks - though it will have to wait a few days more, as I'm still recovering at the moment. But here's to happy - and healthy - tomorrow.
