Ponderings: On Persistence

In 2014, Jo_Goldsmith11 took it upon herself to initiate the Light2Love Project Good Words.

Jo pledged to use good words and publish articles used to empower, encourage, support and defend those who need to be shown love.

Jo offered us a good word for each week to focus our thoughts, behaviors and actions on...In the 18th week, Jo wrote her perspective on the word persistent.

However, as 2014 came to an end, Jo filed away her Good Word articles - as she begins the process of publishing it in e-book'. Shyron E. Shenko continues to write a beautiful poem to accompany each Good Word to inspire and lead us.

The ripple effect of the Good Words Project throughout the HubVille community has been heartwarming.

Please join me with some of my musical thoughts and reflections on the word persistent...

I am a firm believer that most everything is possible in life with effort and good intentions.

However, my style is to keep my eye on the goal while I focus persistently on specific and measurable objectives. Time and time again this strategy has worked for me.

I've blatantly lifted this approach from patient care plans in my clinical work and teaching over the years. Selfishly, if I am teaching my patients and students to think of large tasks in small, manageable chunks... would not the same strategy work for me?

In 1999, I challenged myself to walk every day on my lunch hour. With a stressful job in nursing administration, this was the perfect way to decompress, get outside of my head and appreciate nature on a daily basis.

There were 46-hours in June of this same year that derailed my walking plan through no fault of my own. I was held hostage and shot a total of six times during this time period by a former nurse, both impaired and delusional.

I am forever grateful for my walking plan, viewing it as instrumental in saving me - giving me the stamina and endurance to withstand 46-hours without medical care. About six weeks later, I was able to return to my beloved walking, albeit, slower and a much shorter distance to start, gradually and persistently building back to my former four miles a day.

As I have written on the Good Words project, it appears that love has been at the heart of it all - persistence being no exception...

I view this facet of love as one of trust, constancy and faithful dedication through all times - sounds like those Anglican vows again...??

Certainly one can take persistence to the opposite end of the spectrum. The movie 'Fatal Attraction' comes to mind - as we safeguard the pet bunny from harm's way... :(

All 'stalking' aside... for me, love and persistence go hand-in-hand!

As a nurse and a teacher, I am forever hearing about issues that I want to get involved in. I want to fix things for others, yet realize the importance of 'showing the way' instead. I focus on the importance of time management with my students, as balance is a way of life for me.

I remind nurses, especially in the community course that I teach, that we have a powerful and persistent voice that carries far beyond the bedsides in the hospital. Nurses are amazing public speakers, educators, writers, politicians, presidents of the PTA, and the list goes on and on...

Nurses can share their expertise and passion on subjects such as homelessness, social isolation, healing and compassionate care in ways that can transcend the globe. This persistently and consistently inspires me.

I have often said that nurses and writers have so much in common - including persistence and their big hearts. My friend Bill Holland is no exception!

At last count, Bill has 2,229 followers and was voted The Best All Around Hubber for the past two years. In fact, for two of the last three years, we also voted Bill The Most Supportive Hubber in our community.

The most endearing quality Bill has in my mind is his ability to share his heart, including his expertise and support with those he calls friends...and as you can see, there are many of us!

This is what Bill wrote me when I asked him to write his perspective on persistence a few weeks ago.

"Time is pressing, but then it always seems to be. I didn't want to commit until I was sure, but in the end it came down to this simple fact: Maria asked me to do something and I won't refuse her. I would be honored to do this when the time comes."

Thank you, dear Bill. We look forward to reading your views in Jo's Good Word series as I pass the baton of persistence to you!

© Maria Jordan (December, 2014)