I have a dear friend who is sick and her illness impacts her thinking. Yesterday she and I had to deal with horrible, bureaucratic challenges. Incident after incident completely frustrated me and I can only imagine what she must have been experiencing. On the outside she was frustrated and angry and scared and sad and weary; on the inside it must have been so much worse for her.

At one point, I turned my friend and said, “at least these people are kind and working hard.” She paused and then replied, “being kind and hard working doesn’t mean you are efficient.” I laughed hard enough to cause tears. She joined me in laughing and it was a cleansing moment for both of us.

Later (still caught in an administrative quagmire) I commented to my ill friend that it was frustrating to watch people fail to do their jobs. Again she paused and then replied that that was the worse kind of failure – to fail to do what you are supposed to do. (Her thinking was crystal clear!!)

We never realize how many people are impacted when we don’t do the job we have agreed to do. Poppa taught me that stealing is against the laws of God and that stealing can include:

⁃ Not doing the high quality of work that we described on our resume or during the job interview.

⁃ Not working at least the number of hours for which we are being paid.

⁃ Not giving our all.

The day with my friend would have been so much better for everyone if people had just done their job…

sigh…

The failure of a few people to do their job caused frustration to my friend that she did not deserve.

So sad.

So unnecessary.

Little lesson – do your job.

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)

Ps. I saw my friend tonight and she has left the incidents of yesterday where they belong – in the past. It was great to see her smile!! Me? I’m still miffed and keep drafting a letter of “process review” in my head. 😉 CJ