grateful for good people

When Hattie was born she was given an extra measure of joy. I am certain of it. We love that her name is Hattie Joy because she lives into her name. I told Rory recently that she's like joy incarnate. She brightens up our house and lights up our family.

Hattie was born with craniosynostosis. It means a few of  the sutures (the joints between the bones of a baby's skull) fused prematurely. So far there have been no side effects of this premature fusing, but we are being seen on a steady rotation by a few different doctors at Gillette Children's Hospital who are all keeping a close eye on her cranium and making sure it grows at pace with her brain. We love our doctors are feel grateful to have such good care.

The first time we brought her to Gillette's Rory and I got sandwiches in the skyway after all of her appointments and Rory said to me, "aren't you just so grateful that a place like this exists?" A children's hospital is a powerful reminder of the gift of health and the road that some must walk down, though they would never choose that road if they could avoid it. And yet, there is this building packed full of qualified, gifted, world-renowned doctors and nurses ready to care for each kid who comes through the door.

Yesterday our craniofacial doctor said that he wanted us to meet the pediatric orthodontist for an introduction. He explained how incredible this doctor is, the top in her field, recognized around the world for what she has contributed to pediatric oral care. So we walked to that part of the hospital and sat in a dental chair waiting for her to arrive. I think because of his glowing review I was expecting a woman with a cape to descend from the ceiling. But instead this very normal looking woman, a woman who looked like she could be any of my friend's mom, walked in and introduced herself kindly as the doctor we were to meet. I was so caught off guard...surely I've stood behind her at Cub Foods. Maybe she even went to my church once. She just looked so...normal.

Driving home we were stuck in traffic and I looked in the other cars and wondered what job they were coming home from. I knew the doctors and nurses we had just seen were likely in their cars, driving back to their families, their normal lives. But in that hospital they are positively heroes, and I just feel so grateful for each one of them.  I want to say, "thank you for getting yourself through med school, and then choosing pediatric neurosurgery as your emphasis. Thanks for taking it so seriously that we get to come to you for care." I can't explain the overwhelming gratitude I feel when we are there.

I watched people in each car, driving home after whatever job they just came from and I said to Rory, "You know, there are two stories to be told each day. There is one story that is trying to tell us that we all at odds with each other, that at any given moment someone is ready to go toe to toe for our differing beliefs. That story feeds on hate and a few crazies in the mix. But there is another story like the one we just experienced at the hospital where it feels like everyone is for us. And we're for them. And I don't care a lick who they voted for and they don't care who I voted for. We're just good people trying to do good in the world. And you know, that story is likely the story we each could tell 95% of the time, with a crabby clerk or jerk thrown in the mix every few months or so. But majority of the time there is good. And it's such a better story to tell."

I believe that. I think we're fed many storylines in America that promote and encourage division and disgust with the other. But when we're actually working side by side with "the other" it turns out we can get along just fine. Most people are for me. I'm for most people. I think most of us are.

Just remember that while reading news feeds and listening to headlines. There definitely are wackos out there. But try to remember that there are way more wonderfuls.