Help! Quick Decision Needed . . .

[BarbTherese]

I need to make a decision today and it is 7.55am here now. I have been working for 2 years voluntarily for a Catholic Charity.  Another Charity, not specifically Catholic but for quite disabled and marginalized people often quite young people has offered me a job in the office and voluntary.  I am under a lot of pressure just now with a few important decisions to make.  This particular decision is bringing me 'grief'!  I really don't want to change my voluntary work, but the long travel involved in my current position is problematic although not impossible.  I have been treating the difficulties as sacrificial and penitential although I am starting to think that because of my back and legs problems, I might be causing myself some harm - at least in the long term if I stay where I am.

I am praying about this ardently - and this morning in desperation flipped a coin and it was two out of three for a change!!!***$%%??................ :sos:  It's one of those times when Heaven seems silent, which in this situation would seem to indicate that either way would be pleasing to The Lord and hence completely my decision.  Both charities are very worthwhile and needy re voluntary workers.

 

I plan to ring this other Charity at 9am to clarify a few things and if I decide to change, to ring my boss now and advise him I will be leaving later today.

 

A quick prayer for me would be returned today in spirit!

 

Against changing (pros)

1. I am happy where I am
2. I have been there 2 years now
3. The devil one knows is better than the one I don't
4. I could go from the frying pan into the fire
5. The staff is great and amenities top notch
6. Relaxed atmosphere, except for the boss at times only
7. Both male and female on staff
8. I need to get up at 6am and then leave at 7.20am, home around 6.30pm
9. Hours are 8.30am to 3.30pm (half hour lunch)

 

For changing (cons)

1. The boss can be very short indeed, but it is just his nature and he is the same with most all staff. He doesn't handle pressure well and the cause of his 'shortness' if  the pressure is on.  At other times, he is the nicest of persons.  I call him to myself a "big lovable teddy bear"!  How can one not love a person who can't handle pressure!
2. It is a long way to travel two days weekly - 2 buses there and back with a fair amount of walking involved and I have a bad back which affects my legs
3. I don't know the staff if I change to this other position, although seemed relaxed and happy at interview (I went in for an interview just to see what it was all about)
4. I don't know the work, although it sounds very interesting and diversified
5. It is only two bus stops from where I live (5 min if that one bus trip, not much walking)
6. They are changing offices at the end of the year but plan to stay in this area ("plan" is not "will" stay in this area)
7. Females only on staff (having had years of experience in offices, it tells me that female only staff can be quite 'catty' and such things, while males with females tends to balance things out and bring rationality and logic into situations.  Although female management today is far better trained in human relationships than during my career 25 years ago)
8. I would only need to get up at 8am at the latest, leave at 9.20am
9. Hours are 10am to 2pm and I would be home by 2.30pm
10. On the way home, I can jump off the bus a stop early and do the shopping and still be home by around 4pm.
11. I am tempted to think that a change more or less 'just up the road' is Providential but refuse to settle on that thought as the decider.

Glancing at the above there seems to be far more reasons to change than not to change.  My problem I think is loyalty and the fact that where I now work is specifically Catholic.

 

What are your thoughts?  Should I change or not?

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2013 by BarbaraTherese

[BarbTherese]

I did number each point in the pros and cons - but they did not publish.

[Kateri89]

That's a tough one.  I have stayed at the hospital I work at for these last 3 years because it's the only Catholic hospital in my city.  That being said, I have to leave as early as an hour before my shift to be there on time and it's in the ghetto part of the city.  Now in my case, I'm transferring to a different department but within the same hospital (because I hate my current job).

 

I would say that if you believe the non-Catholic charity would still be pleasing to God then you might be better off there.  As far as not knowing the work, you'll just learn it and get used to it.  I know these things can be nerve-wracking at first but eventually you adjust to it.  But keep praying about it and go with your gut!

[AnneLine]

Ah.. has the archiving been lifted?

[AnneLine]

Excellent, we can respond in this thread now!

 

I'd posted a reply in a separate thread, but I'm pasting it here (same one) for your reference!

 

Prayers for your discernment!

 

AnneLine

 

===============================================================

 

Barbara Therese,

 

For some reason new threads are being archived automatically, so we can't respond.  Did want to give you a bit of feedback.  HOPEFULLY soon dUSt will have the threads behaving properly.....

 

Both seem like good opportunities, and it sounds like you are making good decisions.  Be sure to allow into your decision making the need to recuperate from your recent surgery... that could be a factor in selecting the closer-to-home option.

 

Is there any way you could do both of them half time?  One day at the longer-journey one, and one or two days at the closer one?  That would give you a chance to discern more effectively if you want to transition full-time to the closer one, without totally backing out of your current opportunity.  I am sure if you asked the people at the first opportunity if you could cut back your hours a bit whie you recuperate they might be open to that... and then you could kind of do the same with the 2nd one.... and decide which you want to put your energy into long-term.

 

Just a thought....

 

PM me if you want further thoughts or to discuss this a bit... hopefully THOSE won't be being archived!

 

======================================================

 

[BarbTherese]

Excellent, we can respond in this thread now!

 

I'd posted a reply in a separate thread, but I'm pasting it here (same one) for your reference!

 

Prayers for your discernment!

 

AnneLine

 

===============================================================

 

Barbara Therese,

 

For some reason new threads are being archived automatically, so we can't respond.  Did want to give you a bit of feedback.  HOPEFULLY soon dUSt will have the threads behaving properly.....

 

Both seem like good opportunities, and it sounds like you are making good decisions.  Be sure to allow into your decision making the need to recuperate from your recent surgery... that could be a factor in selecting the closer-to-home option.

 

Is there any way you could do both of them half time?  One day at the longer-journey one, and one or two days at the closer one?  That would give you a chance to discern more effectively if you want to transition full-time to the closer one, without totally backing out of your current opportunity.  I am sure if you asked the people at the first opportunity if you could cut back your hours a bit whie you recuperate they might be open to that... and then you could kind of do the same with the 2nd one.... and decide which you want to put your energy into long-term.

 

Just a thought....

 

PM me if you want further thoughts or to discuss this a bit... hopefully THOSE won't be being archived!

 

======================================================

 

Thank you very much and a jolly good suggestion.  I also posted into CA this morning and a poster posted about "spiritual triangulation" http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?p=11007973#post11007973   This was 'a clincher' for me if you read the quite short thread.   I have now rung the other charity and accepted their position and my boss is absolutely delighted about my decision.  I'm now going over to CA to advise the poster of my firm decision.

 

Posted Today, 08:37 AM

That's a tough one.  I have stayed at the hospital I work at for these last 3 years because it's the only Catholic hospital in my city.  That being said, I have to leave as early as an hour before my shift to be there on time and it's in the ghetto part of the city.  Now in my case, I'm transferring to a different department but within the same hospital (because I hate my current job).

 

I would say that if you believe the non-Catholic charity would still be pleasing to God then you might be better off there.  As far as not knowing the work, you'll just learn it and get used to it.  I know these things can be nerve-wracking at first but eventually you adjust to it.  But keep praying about it and go with your gut!

 

 

Thank you, SrKateri.  I know that either charity is extremely pleasing to God - in fact in the office of the Catholic charity, I am the only practrising Catholic to my knowledge on our ground floor staff.  Wherever I go, no matter where, my objective is community in our Catholic understanding - relationships of fraternal Peace and Joy.  Where there is any sort of division, my motto for myself is "sense the gap - bridge it".  Fortunately, my training as a counsellor comes in handy most everywhere.  This is another factor in how the threads of my journey have come together and wound together to form the one thread : the overall journey of my life.

 

Thank you both very much for your replies.  Today I will be spending time praying for those who have read, posted or prayed for me just now.

 

Problem solvered!  Thank you, Lord, Your Loving Mercies to your least abound daily! Moving on ..............

[AnneLine]

Glad what we put was helpful.

 

I'm not totally clear - did you decide to do a little of both, or completely switch to the closer opportunity?

 

And... I liked your Triangulation idea... very similar to St. Ignatius' Decision Making structure in the Spiritual Exercises....

 

And thank you for prayers -- we're praying for you, too!

[BarbTherese]

Glad what we put was helpful.

 

I'm not totally clear - did you decide to do a little of both, or completely switch to the closer opportunity?

 

And... I liked your Triangulation idea... very similar to St. Ignatius' Decision Making structure in the Spiritual Exercises....

 

And thank you for prayers -- we're praying for you, too!

 

Hi again AnneLine............I did give your suggestion thought because it really was a jolly good suggestion. But having almost made up my mind because of my back and legs and all the trouble they are causing me, especially on the long trip coming home from the Catholic charity, I decided to change to the not specifically Catholic charity and the closer opportunity.  The moment I hung up from my new boss, complete Peace and Joy just flooded in again.  Although during my confusing time unable to decide, it was an opportunity to make some suffering united to Jesus and His Cross "take up your cross daily, and follow me".

 

Not my Triangulation, rather that of the poster on CA.  I did think that it probably came from "The Spiritual Exercises".  For some reason, I have never been able to get right into these exercises, never had any appeal whatsoever.  It can happen.  I recall that St Therese went through a period of not being able to read anything spiritual whatsoever!  Sometimes I can suspect St Therese was sent just for me  Spirituality of Imperfection: http://carmelitesofeldridge.org/vilma5.html and also see http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/spirituality/ : List of Articles etc. on St Therese of Lisieux

 

Thank you very much indeed for the prayers, such as I really needs them.  And I know that the prayers of others for me have brought me a very long way indeed and out of a literal hell it seemed: Bipolar episodes now 10 years in the past.  It seems to me (except I know it is not so) that I have lived several lives.

 

Correction:  Memory has told me that I knew of at least one other voluntary worker on the ground floor who was Catholic.  There was more than just me - he was only there on one of my two days and we said very little, because he was a very dear (and I suspect very holy too) man of very few words.

[BarbTherese]

The funny thing about me and Therese of Lisieux and my Confirmation Patron is that the huge artwork (amongst many of them) on our classroom wall fascinated me because she had a slight smile and carried a crucifix and roses - both of which I absolutely loved.  My Mum and Dad were rose growers extraordinaire! Magnificent roses in all types and colours!  And I was always laughing. I can't remember who, when, where or why, but it sticks in my mind that someone said to me "Why are you always laughing?"  I guess now thinking about it that when God was handing out talking, He must have had "funny bone" in the same que.  I am still always laughing.  In fact, when ill and in hospital, more than once I have been told off for making people laugh - now there is an absurdity in a psychiatric ward!!!!!

 

Prior to illness, my laughing disposition was taken as just Barb.  After I became ill if I started to laugh "You're not well, Barb.  Better get in touch with your doctor".  Depression is as foreign to me as paganism is to Christianity.

 

 The crucifix has always been a great love of mine too.  Recently, my son and his partner sent me a most beautiful crucifix probably 3ft x 14inches.  It is very heavy indeed and made of plaster of paris, painted in silver and gold.  It has pride of place in Bethany here and soon a little shelf underneath will appear for a vase in which to put fresh flowers and right by it on the skirting board almost is a power point - I will be able to purchase a little electric lamp to go on the shelf too.  The cross proper has a silver only vine twisted around it "I am the vine, you are the branches".  I am going to have a go at painting the vine and the leaves and then wipe off before dry if it just don't work.

 

Back to the subject!  All other pics on our classroom wall - huge pictures - had saints with sad faces or overtly holy faces with eyes looking up to Heaven. I've never taken to overt piety NEVER.  I like the covert brand "do not let your piety show".  I call it "my spiritual petticoat".   One of those pics absolutely horrified me big time.  It was of St Stephen - I think - all bloody with arrows sticking out of his body which was tied to a pole.  "If that is martyrdom" thought I back then "then you can stick martyrdom!"  Nahhhh, give me that young nun(I wanted to be a nun) with the roses and crucifix and smile any day!  I didn't even know here name back then, nor anything at all about her.  Back then, I kept my spirituality very much to myself, very much.

 

So when Confirmation came up years later and I had to pick a saint.  I found out who the smiling nun was and decided on Therese as my Confirmation name - still knowing nothing about her.  I didn't read her life story until long after I left college in my teens and then started to love the gal.

 

At Confirmation and on informing my Aunty of my Confirmation patron, Aunty Monica (decd) said to me "Ah yes, Barb, but roses have thorns".   "Stick in the mud, I thought at the time!"  LIttle did I know what lay ahead.

 

Oh yeah, at one stage in my very young years on hearing that martyrs go IMMEDIATELY TO HEAVEN.  I decided to be a martyr - but something worried me and that was that jolly morbid pic of St Stephen (mind you it struck me as morbid, it was many years later meditating on the crucifix and researching crucifixion that I realized that martyrs can die horrific deaths).  Anyway, I renewed my pledge to Jesus to be a martyr PROVIDING I could be shot in the back of the head by a communist. Shot by a communist, it seemed to me, I WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE a martyr destined straight, immediately, pronto to the Beloved Halls It seemed to me that shot in the back of the head, I wouldn't know a jolly thing and it would be painless and with luck I wouldn't know that the bullet was coming......'...........  "AH SO!", said The Lord raising His eyebrows "Ah so!" and He was laughing when He said it!.........'

 

 

Edited July 22, 2013 by BarbaraTherese

[BarbTherese]

Here is another absurdity from a psychiatric ward. Woodleigh House at Modbury Hospital.  Fictional fact I call it - a very true story and facts with some creative licence in the writing to try to recapture the 'feeling' of the situation.

 

Staff had arranged that first aid people come in and teach us basic first aid.  We were organized in a large circle.  Entering through the doors came a man with a huge obviously female dummy and I started to smother laughter at that point.  Following him was another man with stop lights - the red, orange and green kind.  I managed to control myself as the dummy was laid on the floor with the stop lights beside the poor creature.  One of the men then announced that he was going to teach us how to resuscitate someone. 
Raised me eyebrows and just smiled - we were all off our faces on psychiatric medication barely able to walk let alone think.  "This should be good" thought I.  Psychiatric Wards use heaps of 'right off yer face' medication to keep some of us anyway in control, behaving - mostly in fact asleep or near asleep - often while they read or watched TV, or just chatted to each other, some female nurses knitted or darned in front of the patient TV.  True - back then anyway in Woodleigh House.  If you stand outside and just gaze at the building it really does look like "a palace of mirrors" (Bob Dylan lyric)  This is very interesting to me since I know the man who helped designed the building.  Very strange man indeed and no longer associated with Public Mental Health. Weird man in fact.

 

The man then announced that if the lights go green, our patient is doing fine and we are doing our job well.  If the lights go orange, the patient is dying and we are failing.  And oh dear my, if the lights go red, then poor Sally is dead (he had given her a name which I can't recall). So down beside Sally goes the man and starts to give her resuscitation.  The light is green then turns to orange.  The other man is telling us what is happening, what Man B is doing to Sally in the mouth to mouth.

 

At this point, I couldn't resist it, I burst out laughing and said "If b*****y Sally dies and gets up, I'm outta here!" at which point we ALL burst out laughing.

 

I wound up for three days in the Security Ward (a stock standard punishment to me for misbehaving).  Now the Security Ward was then at Hillcrest Hospital, Ward 6A I think it was, and two policemen in a squad car used to take me there for my stock standard punishment if I had been misbehaving.  One doctor I saw for years refused to say I was ill - he called used to say "Ahhh, You've been a ratbag again!"

 

On the way, I had the police officers in fits of laughter too relating the sad saga of poor Sally.

[BarbTherese]

Another doctor (private and a Catholic, then lecturing in our seminary, now decd) said to me. "I have done all I can for you.  Go out into that big, bad and beautiful, wicked world and learn to have confidence in yourself.  And remember, Barbara, out of the ashes rises the phoenix" ............... "Oh great" thinks I "my last human hope for sanity down the gurgler again"  I had to laugh at what he said as I walked to my car (I had a car and job then ........... just).  I would have to leave my job, unwell again, I had nowhere to live and jolly little money.  "Look out, Woodleigh, here I come again. At least youra roof and tucker, if appalling".  Jolly little hope of any sort of rising nor any kind of phoenix character! Ah anyway, probably back then, it would have scared the s**t living daylights outta me wondering what on earth I had to face up to this time!

In the years I was ill and still trying to work and maintain a normal life, I would leave a job entirely if I became ill.  If it ever got around an office that the boss's secretary had a mental illness, then I too would be down a gurgler...............for a while anyway.

 

Many years later, I sent him a Christmas Card: "Dear Dr. ............... - lots of ashes, still no sign of that b**%?y phoenix!"

 

Another time in Glenside Hospital almost paralyzed with terror and it was quite overt, I could not hide it, a doctor said to me "You have died a thousand deaths, haven't you"..........Me:."Something like that".........Him: "You are discharged"............Me: "But I have no money and nowhere to go".........Him "You will be ok".

I just don't know how many psychiatric patients I have known that have been discharged from a ward completely broke and homeless.  Indictment!  

 

Another doctor in Fullarton Road Private psychiatric hospital (back then anyway) as I walked through the day room said "Take 'em all back to Adam and Eve, Barb".  I never could figure out what he meant, still can't - and I had never liked the man and so never asked - just kept walking and ignored him.  If I'm any judge of personality at all, my doctor never liked him either and the feeling was mutual it seemed to me.  Surprised me that he knew my name.  Another time in Adelaide city one night and at the pie cart for something to eat, an aboriginal man asked me for money to get home.  I gave it to him and as I walked away, he called out "Take care, Barbara".  How on earth did he know my name.  These things can happen and nothing mysterious really about them.  Many ways the doctor and aboriginal man could have known my name.  Fullarton Private Hospital certainly was no stranger to me and I was well known back then in the city too - and for The Gospel.

 

Still there are ends that won't meet and will probably have to wait for Heaven. At least now, I can sight and pick up those loose ends. 

 

One doctor said to me "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, had a great fall - all the King's horses and men could not put humpty together again ("horses and men" reminds me of the board game: chess).  I replied :

 

"Don't discount The King!"

[BarbTherese]

With 10 years almost now under my belt, I had one breakdown when I went completely off medication without telling my doctor and without slowly reducing.  A fatal mistake! FATAL to any psychiatric patient and on all points.  But what happened was, I had a script for Oxazepam which the locum had given me.  I had rung him as I knew I was in for a rough night, hoping I could find someone at a late hour with a car who would take me to a chemist.  No luck! Half an Oxazepam to calm me down and you put a gun in my face and I would not care.....not literally of course.....something like that! That night I rang the emergency mental health line and it used to be that those in that department on the phones did know me - back then this is anyway.  It was the very early hours of the next morning around 2 or 3 amand I was extremely frightened (not stating why) and had no Oxazepam. 

 

Ringing Emergency Mental Health is better than ringing the time just to hear another voice (Bob Dylan) since on EMH phonelines, at least that sometimes 'human' voice talks back to you.  Sensing I was frightened and knowing that with me fear can build to absolute terror, the EMH phoneline nurse was most concerned.  I thought I had reassured him that if I could stay ok until morning, I could get the script filled out and that would put things right.  Oh how I despise EMH phoneline - next morning bright and early a police car and an ambulance pulls up and I have no choice (being a psychiatric patient) but to do what the police tell me to do.  This time, however, the policeman (looked as if he had just got out of bed too and the uniform a very poor fit.  Must have grown some and put on weight) takes my housekeys and as I get into the ambulance, the police go into my house.  I am incensed, but there is nothing I can do.  The police can do this if they are suspicious re a psychiatric patient and weapons especially.  But I have never been remotely violent - just (to me) justifiably very angry at times and a quite human emotion if one is offended in some way (not so with psychiatric patients even with a long history of many years of non violence and justified).  But to my knowledge, what is supposed to happen if an ambulance and police show up is that the police follow the ambulance.  But the police went into my house - perhaps they did follow, I can't recall.

 

When I am eventually discharged from hospital, my brothers tell me laughing that the man who looked after my house for me if I was away and a great and reliable friend to many in the neighbourhood, had confronted both of them at separate times when they had visited Bethany to check the house.  "Do you smoke???!...........and neither of my brothers have ever done so and so replied in the negative. "Well someone has been smoking in here because Barbara doesn't smoke any more and I can smell cigarette smoke"

 

However, when I came home, spread over the kitchen table were my files.  Bottles of beer from Christmas were missing from my wardrobe and a couple of them in the fridge.  Two empty bottles were in my bedside rubbish tin (my bed was unmade as I had left in the ambulance very early) - my TV faced my bed.  With the two empty bottles were a discarded Hungry Jack's wrapper or box.  I asked my neighbour  if it had been him and I wouldn't mind if it was.  I had known him for years and he was a very honest man and he replied in the negative.

 

Back to the subject.  Because I have been well for so long, my doctor is trying me on an antipsychotic that is not as powerful as Seroquel and a medication that I had many years ago and worked well for me back then - Stelazine.  This medication is helping me keep things in the normal range to all and sundry - including my doctor.  She can sure tell after 5mins talking to her about the weather if I am well or not.  One doctor told me if I wanted to write or paint, I was unwell.  Then another said to me "How culturally Phillistine! - if you want to write or paint, you go right ahead and write or paint!"  I have a new canvas well on the way. Ohhhh decisions, decisions.  Got out of bed the other night, put my painting stuff out - and then added one touch, dot literally, of paint which did just what I had thought it would do.  The picture now is definitely looking at something in particular - but if you stand back from it, it is looking right at the viewer.  Never be afraid, NEVER, to invest fully in who you actually are.  It is an investment in one's humanity created human by The Lord. Invest but trust and confidence is in Him and His Grace..............and come whatever may come! http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/06/20/how-can-i-know-the-will-of-god-in-my-life-part-i-of-ii

 

Here's hoping this medication will work.  Memories are coming back and settling and these reoccurring ends are sometimes loose ends in my life.

 

I am off work now until my new voluntary job on Monday 29th July- and today is a rest day due to the fact that I put myself through an almost hell of indecision trying to make up my mind what I should do.  Common sense is the guide of all the virtues.  Thank You, Lord, for putting up with me - and for all the good advice I have received.  Excellent advice in fact.  And for the prayers (always prayed by wonderful people) and prayers for me.  Enough rest, now back to Monday 22nd July 2013.....prayer first.......moving on............

[BarbTherese]

Rang the Catholic charity and my ex boss was really nice, which made things harder for me and the tears came.  He has told me that if I ever wanted to return, I would be welcome and that I had done a "mammoth job" for them.  I had to hang up before I started crying in earnest and I wanted to spare him that. Monday is their busiest day and just what he needed, being male (scuse me any guys! write it off to "mere female")............Barb bawling in his big teddy bear ear!

I've noticed that the one thing that can often rub me really the wrong way is someone who is just like me in personality............think about it.................

 

...........off to the oratory to pray for all on Phatmass and CA..........as well as those who do keep me in prayer...................

Edited July 22, 2013 by BarbaraTherese

[AnneLine]

Barbara,

 

Thank you for your prayer, and thank you for sharing your story.

 

I will pray for you as well.

 

Hang in there....

 

I wish you every blessing on your new job!

 

AnneLine

[BarbTherese]

Barbara,

 

Thank you for your prayer, and thank you for sharing your story.

 

I will pray for you as well.

 

Hang in there....

 

I wish you every blessing on your new job!

 

AnneLine

 

Thank you AnneLine - gosh Heaven must be busy, prayers flying around everywhere!  Having resolved the conflict I had been in over voluntary jobs, from the heart this morning I thanked Jesus for sending so many beautiful people my way with such powerful prayers of intercession.

 

Always a bit nervy starting a new job.  I hope that my legs and back will respond happily.  I will only be working 4hrs (10am - 2pm) not 6 hrs.  I will need to leave at 9.30am and will be home at 3pm after doing some grocery shopping on the way home.  In my Catholic charity, I would need to leave at 7.20am and be home around 6.30pm or later.  Big difference indeed.  Travel time will be only 10mins on one bus with not much at all to walk, compared to 1.5 hours on two buses and lots of walking.  Once things settle down after my interstate trip in September and first holiday in many years, it looks as if I will be able to go to Mass Tues, Wed and Thur as our relatively new pp has shifted Mass times each morning to 9am.  This means I can go to Mass via bus and still put in a whole day.  Mondays and Fridays voluntary work. My whole week committed in very special ways.  Aint The Lord the very grandest!

 

Every situation to me is an opportunity to form community - a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, good relationships with all and no friction anywhere.  If things are not so, then to work and pray to turn things around in hope. For me personally, it means that The Lord has another task for me somewhere, somehow and also to further personal Gospel formation as well as to purify and this applies in every situation.  We still walk with Jesus just as His disciples did when He lived on this earth - just in a different sort of way that asks (and He grants) a new sort of consciousness (prayer formed) to grasp that newness, that Resurrected and Glorious Jesus still very human.

 

I still feel I really did the right thing.  I used common sense and St Albert in his Ancient Rule of Carmel said the common sense is the guide of all the virtues.  I really am going to miss my old job and the people for a while I think. "Spiritual Triangulation" was a great help in finally making a firm decision and then carrying through at which point I was immediately in Peace and Joy fully again.

 

This morning I received a really lovely email from my ex boss who said some very nice things about me.  I always knew they appreciated me, but to have it in writing is wonderful indeed.  I have come very far re Bipolar.  It no longer controls me - I control it............Grace!  And the fact that we do respond positively to Grace is an Actual Grace in itself.  "All is Grace" (St Therese of Lisieux)

 

Thank you once again, AL

Edited July 23, 2013 by BarbaraTherese