An 8?

A few months ago, a friend dropped me off about an hour before I had to speak for a college audience. Shortly after my speech, my cell rang and it was the friend who’d given me a lift. Ten minutes after he’d dropped me off, he’d been broadsided by another car. His vehicle was completely totaled. Worse, he’d sustained some injuries and was in the emergency room. Of course, his well-being was my biggest concern.

“Are you hurt badly?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’d say on a scale of 1 to 10, I’m at around an 8.”

“Well, what did the doctors tell you is wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing yet. I’m still in the waiting room.”

While I was worried about my bud, my first thought was, “If you haven’t been seen in two hours, then your pain darned sure ain’t at level # 8.” But, who am I to say? How he feels and views his situation is his business. I’m not qualified to tell him his pain isn’t at a level 8, after all, any more than he’s qualified to tell me what my viewpoint should be.

To bring this to a personal realm, I’m going in for surgery first thing tomorrow morning. I’m not the least bit concerned, really. Everything that’ll be done is some pretty minor reconstructive and cosmetic work; a follow up to all the damage from a dozen years ago. It should only take about six hours and I’ll only be in the hospital overnight.

Then, I step outside myself. I look at this situation from the perspective of someone who is NOT me. Six-hour surgery? Minor? Not worried? What in the world are you thinking??

If someone came to me saying they were headed in for an operation that would take six hours, I’d be thinking that’s some real, real major stuff. But, when it’s me, I don’t. I guess having been through surgeries that last 24 hours at a pop, this little six-hour job is no big deal. And truly, I’m not worried about it.

So, folks, thanks for your concern, your prayers, positive healing energies, whatever you want to throw my way. I really appreciate it, but don’t worry. I’m not.
Talk to you in a few days – till then I’ll kinda be indisposed, if you know what I mean!