AHHHHHHHH

There are certain people in my life that perk me up whenever they enter the room. I saw this clearly in my grandmother before she died. She would almost levitate off the ground upon seeing me. Her joy abounded!! When Ernie Sr. recently died it was as if the person that gave me that jolt was no longer around. That was until I got a phone call from his son today - that same jolt hit me.

Ernie and I talked briefly about how similiar him and his father were. It was as if they were clones of each other. Both of them loved life fully and got everyone around them into a festive mood.

Ernie Sr's legacy definetly lives on in his son. Ernie Jr. has gone on to coach his daughters to the state championships in soccer, he has become extremely successful in business and has been happily married going on twenty years. He is a definite inspiration.

We never know how much inspiration others gain in our actions. In the mental health field I have been changing my approach lately and have been trying to incorporate the "jolt". A long time great listener, I thought it was crucial to lend an ear to somebody and have them felt heard. It is nice to be heard, but how often have we not only felt appreciated but loved? In adoring somebody, incredible healing can take place.

Test it out. In your next communication with somebody, instead of pointing out their failures, simply focus on their beauty instead. People with mental health issues become more confident within themselves in response to this.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a mental health tangent, but human behavior is simply facinating to me. We weren't ever given a hand book on how to live life so I am trying to scoop up as much information through trial and error as I possibly can. In reading the Burn Ward book you become acutely aware of my errors.

Anyway, thank you Ernie Sr. for your influence, same to you Ernie Jr.