I was talking with one of my patients last night on the phone. He has transitioned from being a patient to one who is now a friend. He told me last night what a wonderful person I was. ( I was thinking, “I had to wait till I am 51 years old for someone to finally notice this?!!) lol

The aspect that I think he deems as being the most wonderful about me is that I bring the gift of laughter with me when I go on my visits. Growing up in a home where my mother was chronically depressed and bitter, my parents were not schooled in the school of positive parenting. If I didn’t know how to be joyous, I would have gone insane.

The other day I had one of my little ladies who I go visit busting out in giggles. I may not be able to perform heart surgery, or excise a tumor from a brain, but what I can do is bring joy with me as I go to work every day. Somehow I think that may be why so few of my patients go on to heaven, because when I make them laugh they experience a touch of heaven here on earth.

Sometimes it is just a smile which someone needs. People usually break into smiles when they see me. I have never understood how I do that but even when I am not smiling everyone else is.

The last thing that someone needs is for me to go on and on about how difficult my life is. My life is not easy but if someone would observe me they would never suspect that because I try, most times, to focus on the rays of joy instead of the clouds of despair. The clouds of despair have been blinding at times in my life but I am thankful for the friends who have lifted my despair and have forced me to see the sunshine again.

If you know someone who is homebound and is in need of some cheering up, go visit them and see if you can make them a gift of a giggle. Giggling is like a hug to the heart and it can warm a soul.