sending and receiving love.
i spoke with my supervisor on monday. keep in mind that i called in sick and got admitted to hospital on my SECOND day or work. (*tear). I love my job and am always amazed that someone pays me to do what i love.
For those of you who are new readers, i did this job two summers ago, the last time i was healthy enough to work. i was super stoked to return to the job full time this summer and actually be able to be active with the kids. I work as a playground/wading pool/spray park supervisor. i work at three different parks during the week. awesome hours (10:30 - 5:30). i plan a theme for each week (this year i went for different habitats....jungle, desert, ocean, arctic, the skies, westcoast, pond) and come up with land games, water games, art projects, easy crafts, storytime, creative play, sports equipment, back pocket games, songs, poems, facepainting, dress-up, treasure hunts, scavenger lists, etc... for each weeks themes.
the job itself is awesome. i hang out with the kids, do all the above activities with them depending on the age, group size and participation of the kids. i speak with the parents. i'm responsible for conducting surveys on park usage, minor first aid, cleaning the site and maintaining proper chlorine levels in the pools.
i am not a lifeguard, i am not responsible for the children (they have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian) and i do not have to discipline them.
and it is a union job so the wage and benefits are sweet!!
so you can see why i was very upset upon falling ill on my second day of work.
i had to call in sick for thursday and friday. when i called on monday morning i knew i wouldn't be able to return to work until the following week (at the earliest). before i even got the chance to explain, this is what my supervisor said...
"Eva, You need to focus on what is really important here. Your health is number one. I don't want you to stress at all. Your job will always be here waiting for you. I can find a substitute until you can return 100% healthy. Don't feel like you are letting anyone down or giving up. I know you love your job. I know you are a very hard worker. I know that you are probably overqualified for this job and that the kids are always thrilled to see you. I don't want you to rush back to work and over exhaust yourself and end up sick again. So even after you get out of hospital I want you to take the following week off and go to the beach every day. Relax. Get healthy. No stress. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?"
I was in shock! It was all I could do to stop from crying. I'm always amazed at the kindness of other. It would have been so much easier for her to fire me or to demand me back next week. But instead she lifted a weight off my shoulders. She has made it so much easier for me to focus on my health and getting better without the stress of worry! I'm not even worried financially because if I don't work I am still covered by disability and won't starve. Obviously I would rather work but this wasn't something I could prevent.
Between all of you online, my friends here, my room mates, my boyfriend, my family, my supervisor, my doctors, my nurses... I really do feel like I will be OK. No matter what happens I will end up on the other side of this little bump on both my feet, hands in the air, spinning and smiling in the sunshine!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!
send love out to the universe and it will come back to you tenfold.