This past weekend, my mom and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a resort. We went to relax and catch up with each other since I’ve been away at college. While we were there, I got to have a pedicure in the spa. Of course, when you go to a spa, it isn’t to make others happy, its for yourself! Making others happy brings you happiness, but there are other things that can bring joy to yourself as well. For me, it was having this relaxing weekend and pedicure with my mom.
The pedicure was one of the first things we did. Normally, I would go on my phone for a pedicure, but this time I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to just relax, and it was perfect because I got to know the girl who was doing my pedicure. She was so kind and so wonderful. My pedicure lasted around an hour and we were able to talk the entire time about pretty much everything. It made me so happy and so excited that I made a new friend, even if it was just for an hour. That time definitely made my entire weekend. Even when you’re going to treat yourself, there is always going to be times where others can make you happy and hopefully you can make them happy too. I didn’t expect to be able to have a wonderful conversation with someone, but I did! You should never close yourself up to talking to someone because you never know the conversations they can lead to. Being present in the moment allows for a greater possibility to make others and yourself happy. Throughout the rest of the trip, my mom and I got to paint, eat, talk and more. There was even a piano in a corner of a room where I played something small and this guy clapped for me when I was finished. That made me happy too. My mom and I also took new Linkedin pictures after our fancy dinner. I loved that because we were able to bond over something so small. It’s the small things you can do to bring yourself joy that brings joy to others in the process. If you go all your days trying to make others happy, you’ll forget about yourself. Don’t forget about yourself, because you deserve to be happy too. There are ways that you can make others happy through your joy. There’re also times where others can make you happy when you least expect it. :)
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Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to donate my hair. I was planning on posting about this last week, but due to the unexpected ER visit I had to wait for this weekend! At the beginning of the school year, when I was walking around the clubs fair, I ran into a table that was giving out free t-shirts. I had absolutely no idea what it was, but they said if I joined the club I got a free shirt, so of course I joined. I found out that the club was Relay for Life and we organized the event that happens once a year to raise money and awareness for cancer. I really loved being a part of this club and being able to help plan such an impactful event. It wasn’t until this year that I really noticed how big of an impact cancer has on people’s lives. It makes me so sad that I was almost oblivious to it and the amount of families it impacts before this past year. Even my own family has been impacted, but I just didn’t know a lot about it. Since going to college, I have learned so much about cancer. I found that I want to do literally anything I can do to help put an end to it or at least make people who have experienced it happier. During one of our relay meetings, they said something about donating hair and without thinking about it I knew I wanted to do it. Of course, there were many days where I thought “oh no I don’t want to donate it” or “gosh I am going to look so bad with short hair,” but the thought that someone else’s life was going to be a little bit better because of that outweighed every single thought that I had. I got to choose one person to cut my hair on stage before the hair dresser fixed it up. I chose two instead and it worked out perfectly. Alexa and Bree, two of my very good friends from school, cut off 8 inches of my hair to give to someone else. I am so glad that they were the ones to do it, even though Alexa let out a nice gasp after she cut it. I knew (or at least hoped) it was all going to be okay. That night there were 29 girls who decided to donate their hair and it was so amazing to see. Before taking a photo, a man came over to thank us. He told us that last year his wife received a wig and it made her so beyond happy. He also told us that she is no longer with us and that brought tears and so many emotions to me. I knew in that moment that even if I didn’t like my hair or it looked bad, I am so grateful I did just donate it and will not look back. The hair dresser who cut my hair after was amazing and so kind! She even put my hair into layers to make it look at it’s best. So, I would say that my hair does look good, I definitely like longer hair, but I think I am always going to donate it now to give it to someone else who needs it more than me. Cancer is something that impacts sooo many people, and if you were like me where I didn’t know much, I strongly suggest learning more about it and learning more about what you can do to help others. Even if you don’t think you can do anything, you can! In 2018, over 600,000 people died from cancer and over 1,700,000 were diagnosed with it. So many people struggle with the heartbreak, the bills, and the stress of cancer and you can do something even just by bringing a smile. I lost my grandfather to cancer and never was really able to meet him and experience the amazing man that he was and that makes me want to fight back against cancer even more. This past year, I lost the man who I would say took the place of my grandfather. He loved me through everything and became the grandfather I never got to meet. Visiting him in the hospital was heartbreaking, watching cancer “win,” it was honestly one of the hardest things I have ever went through. I still can’t believe that he is actually gone, but I believe that he is in a better place, in heaven with Jesus. I believe he has no more pain, but it makes me want to fight back against cancer even more! Cancer impacts so many lives and the little things can bring joy to not only patients, but their families too. Until cancer gets officially beat, we can make joy for those who need to experience it. This week did not go how I expected it too... at all. If you know me, I never miss a class let alone an exam. This week I had to miss not only one class, but 3, as well as a calc exam! On Monday night my face broke out in a small rash, of course the night of my big business presentation! After calling the doctor and him giving me some medicine, my presentation went really well, but my rash not so much. It continued to get worse even with the medicine and when I woke up Thursday morning to find it on my tongue while I was on brushing my teeth my mom called the doctor immediately.
Let me pause for a moment to say how wonderful my mom is. She drove back and forth from my college FIVE times in the past week and a half. That's an hour and 15 minutes each way. She missed some work for me and did everything she could to make me as safe as I could be. She's really great!! Okay so anyway, I went to class while my mom waited to call the doctor. She called me during class to let me know I needed to go to the ER. I've never taken a call in class, but I guess there is a first time for everything. (I also let my professor know in advanced that I was waiting for a call so it was okay to step out). I'll tell you in this moment I was very nervous, on the verge of tears actually, but I was also oddly calm. My mom was going to make her fourth trip to Etown to come and get me and take me to the hospital near home in case I needed to spend the night. I finished my class and before heading to my other class ran into a good friend who helped calm me down. She told me she would water my plants, get my newspaper, and watch my cat (even though none of those really applied to me), she definitely knew how to make me smile. After I finished class, I went to my room, grabbed a blanket, my medicine from the doctor and headed out to the car. Still, oddly calm, my mom and I made our way to the ER. I have to say I was calm because I put my trust in Jesus and I knew it was all going to be okay through Him. When we got to the ER, we waited for 3 and a half hours before heading back. Right there is where people lose the positvity in such a scary place where you need to be rushed in, but I found there was no need. First of all if someone came in and needed to go before me, I shouldn't be upset that they got to go first, I should be glad that they got the attention they needed. The doctors know what is wrong and they will help as soon as they can. They would never put me in danger. I also stopped worrying about everything else I needed to do because I was in the emergency room. You are allowed to have an excuse every once in awhile and if your health is at risk it is okay. It really is okay. While my mom and I were in the waiting room we smiled at a few people, said hello, scrolled through facebook, and talked. While I was scrolling through facebook I found this funny video of a turtle slapping another turtle's face. It was pretty funny so of course I showed it to my mom and we laughed over it together. At first I was nervous that it wouldn't be okay to laugh in an emergency room, but why not? It just eases the tension because everything will be okay. If time is all you are worried about then everything will be okay. Finally they called my name and it was time for me to go back! I got nervous again here because I realized "ah I'm in the emergency room and this is real." I had the most wonderful nurse though. She was so kind and we had a great conversation. It was really nice to be able to have a conversation with the nurse because she had been there all day and maybe we could make her day just a little better with our conversation. She gave me an IV and some sleepy medicine after putting me in a wheel chair. I had never ridden in a wheel chair before so that was exciting for me... remember you have to look for the little things. Ironically after that we were put in another waiting room for 2 more hours. But that doesn't mean to loose the positivity. The nurse I had before even walked by and waved. When it was time to go to a bed, they brought me to the urgent part because they were low on beds. (That must be stressful for the doctors!) Honestly that was okay with me because I felt like I was in Grey's Anatomy. My original nurse helped me get in my bed with my iv because I was connected to a bag! Then they connected me to a wall and I got to wear something on my finger. I got another nurse eventually and this one was also great! She brought me ginger ale in a straw which I thought was pretty cool (sorry to everyone who doesn't use straws). I also got to watch 30 seconds of the Lion King on this little tv before the doctor came in (remember it's the little things). After being in the hospital for 5 and a half hours I have to tell you I smiled most of the time (besides the fact that I couldn't really smile with my swollen lips and while I was getting the iv), but not because I wasn't scared or anxious or because I wanted to leave but because I was okay. They were helping me and whatever was wrong was going to be fixed. I was in the safest place and I wasn't the most important person there, which I would say is fortunate. There are tons and tons of things to get mad at in the hospital and I did some people feeling it, but it's really okay to be positive. The doctors and nurses know what they're doing and they won't try to put you at risk. Hopefully you will never have to go to the ER, but if you do remember that... it's okay and you can be positive, just look for the little things. It will even pass the time and make the people around you smile and be less stressed. Oh also, I am okay! I got prescribed some medicine and they helped me out. I had an allergic reaction, but it is all good now! If you knew about it, thank you so much for your prayers and support :) I now have had an experience I won't forget and a nurse that impacted my life :) After getting some sleep at home, my mom took her fifth (and hopefully final) trip to Etown this week to take me back and just in time for Relay for Life! I can't wait to tell you about that experience next! Wow. I have been busy, and I am so sorry to not be posting! These past weeks have been crazy, but good! Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to drive 5 hours and 12 minutes to Erie for a Circle K Convention. Circle K is one of the clubs I joined while on campus and it is one of my favorites! It’s all about service and at the convention I learned the club is international!! I am not sure how I didn’t know that, but it is crazy that people all of the world of all ages are serving others! I’m not sure if you have heard of Kiwanis, but that is the main organization that it is with. There is also Builders Club, Key Club, K-Kids, Aktion Club and it goes all the way from kindergarten to adulthood! The Aktion club is for special needs and I think that is so wonderful.
At the convention we did a large-scale service project where we took over 1000 wreaths down in a graveyard for Navy and Marines. It was really amazing to see everyone partake in the task and be able to participate together. After that we came back and had different workshops, such as learning about different service ideas, as well as a banquet in the evening. It was very fancy and fun! I ended up winning two awards, which I was totally surprised by and it made me smile :) I also made three really good friends on the trip and I’m so excited to continue to serve with them back at college. If you’re interested in being a part of Kiwanis, (no matter what age!!), you should look into in! Click the link below to find a club that best fits you. There is even an online club if you don't want to go anywhere! It is amazing how much service they do and how much impact they bring on to the world. It is an honor to be apart of and it gives you volunteer opportunities! Plus, it’s international and you can meet people through it. This weekend was just Pennsylvania participating in service, but it goes even further to people all across the world and to me that is amazing. |
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