We could use a little good news today
In 1984, Canadian crooner Anne Murray won a raft of awards for her song, “A Little Good News Today.” It spoke of Bryant Gumbel and bombings in Lebanon and wishing for a day where no liquor store was robbed and no one overdosed.
So much of what we read in big city newspapers and watch on TV is about the bad news. While I try and stay abreast of state and national events, so much bad news often leaves me sad and with the urge to run and hide.
Blessedly, the Clarendon Citizen has been able to focus more on the good news than the bad, and boy does that make this Suzy Sunshine happy.
For instance:
County Council Chair Dwight Stewart and other members of the Council were able to sit down and have dinner with a handful of officials from Georgia Pacific last week. We were all properly notified and in the spirit of cooperation we agreed to not require media presence at this meeting with the understanding that no official business was conducted.
However, Chairman Stewart was happy to share some of the good news that came from that meeting. Like the fact that Georgia Pacific has already posted two human resources positions on their website for the Alcolu plant. Can’t have personnel without personnel managers so I would say that is really good news.
He also shared with me that the fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement has been met and that GP has made a “significant” deposit with the county for that. More good news. Yay!
The chairman also seemed very elated that the folks that came for the meet and greet were not only very friendly and warm but were actually excited to become, once again, an integral part of our community.
Yes, that is all good news in my book.
• • •
I recently was able to watch the raw, unedited footage of an interview that our own Drew Stewart of WIS-TV did with Betty Pritchard, who is now recovering at her daughter’s home. Betty was brutally attacked at her office in the early morning hours of June 28. I remember how aggrieved I was when I learned the horrible news. I selfishly thought how easily that could have been me.
When I saw Betty on that tape, I was awed, truly awed by her grace. While she certainly wants her attacker caught, she spoke of forgiving him so that she could release that anger from her life. Having faced my own tribulations of late, I could only pray for a tenth of what she possesses.
If you missed the interview, she said she is doing very well. It was expected that she would do a long stint in a rehab facility and stunned her doctors when she was able to walk out of the hospital. She still has work to do to regain the use of both her arms, but I could see the Betty fighting spirit in her eyes. That’s better than just good news.
• • •
If you remember our first March 17 issue of the Clarendon Citizen, you will recall that our lead story was about the groundbreaking of the Clarendon Memorial Hospital expansion. Speaking for the nursing staff was Rachel Chandler and we proudly put her picture on that very special first front page.
I feel like I have known about Rachel Chandler forever as she worked with my Aunt Ann at CMH for many years and I am blessed that she has taken care of me and my mother many, many times in the past and not so distant past.
With 32 years under her belt she is truly “old school,” but what a school it must have been because I have never seen her lose her cool, be frustrated by a high maintenance patient (like me) or be anything but completely loving, nurturing and extremely competent.
Last Wednesday evening, a very beautiful young woman came into my room to assist my high-need self and of course, I had to strike up the “who are you, where are you from, how long have you worked here” conversation.
Something about her face was so very familiar.
Turns out she is Rachel’s “baby” daughter Ashley, who generally works on the second floor but was helping out on the third that night.
It is definitely true that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as I saw in Ashley those same qualities that make Rachel such a treasure for our hospital. And here is the really exciting good news … there is another Chandler daughter, Regina, that also works on the second floor. Oh, and special note to Rachel … forget ever retiring. It just won’t work for those of us who need you.
I would say that mother-daughters combo was a Chandler triple-play if ever I had seen one. We are so blessed to have such fine young women who have Rachel as a role model.
• • •
Okay, my head is sufficiently empty. I am almost home, y’all and I hope by the time you read this I am back in my work home as well.
Don’t do anything fun without me!
