Thank You

I just thought I would like to dedicate a post to all of you who have followed this blog over the past few years day in day out and thank you for continuing to do so.

In recent months , you may have noticed that I have been posting fewer poems but that is because something exciting has come out of the original reason for posting a poem a day which I will share now.

As you may be aware, I started this blog on the back of a challenge to post a poem a day for a year at the same time raising awareness of cardiac arrhythmias and syncope.  This was a very personal challenge for me, having been diagnosed with PoTS after a 30 plus year struggle of passing out in the most bizarre situations yet never getting a diagnosis until 2008.  But true to form, when life gives you lemons and you choose to make lemonade, truly remarkable things can happen.

The poetry challenge was well received and the statistics showed just how many of you read it but more importantly just how many were finding out why I was doing it.  From this, Ginz and Tonic started to raise awareness just as I had hoped and to this day continues to do so.  But it also led to the formation of a specialist support group for patients in our area who also have an arrhythmia or suffer from Syncope.

As a psychology student with special interest and a background in Positive Psychology and coaching, I set about working with dedicated clinicians from our local hospital, Grantham Hospital and together we formed Beat-It Grantham.  This arrhythmia and syncope support group facilitates a programme of education, a platform of shared lived experience between members and much needed social support.  We also go into the local community to raise further awareness of these conditions and last night were delighted to be recognised for our work at the United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust Staff Awards evening as we were presented with the working together award for 2016.

Life is a collaboration and when we work together we can truly benefit so many but then doesn’t the blogging community know that already!?!  So my message is one of thanks to all who have supported this venture from the beginning.  I don’t think I ever thought that the beat in poetry would translate into the beat within that is our heartbeat but there you go – remarkable things happen with a little innovation and a lot of help from your friends!  Life is good!  Life is inspirational!

Many thanks

Gini

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Thank You :)

“What do you say?” their mother said
“Thank you” they said in rhyme
For that was what she expected
Them to say each time
A gift appeared or deed was done
For gratitude cost n’out
But if they didn’t say those words
Her voice would raise and shout
“What do you say” she would implore
“Why don’t you simply say –
‘Thank you so much for what you’ve done’
Be grateful every day”

For after all a thank you said
Brings cheer to any heart
With smile and words together it
Acknowledges the part
Of others going from their way
With kindness and with grace
To recognize the part they played;
Appreciation’s face
To notice what they said or gave
Or what they did for you
So don’t forget your gratitude
With a hearty thank you!

With thanks to Lincs Connect for their poem suggestion this morning.  This year I’m blogging a poem a day for a year raising awareness of stars.org.uk so if you also have a suggestion for a poem why not comment below?  Thank you 🙂

New Orleans: Thank you message in the grotto of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church; added by those for whom prayer or miracles were granted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christmas Thanks

So Christmas is now over
The turkey’s paid the price
The tree is looking jaded
The wine’s been mulled with spice

The bins are overflowing
The bottles all lined up
Relations have been tested
By sharing the same cup

The presents are all opened
The games have all been played
Carols sung, the music gone
In a festal time displayed

And now as it has ended
Gone for another year
Let’s not forget Santa Claus
And give the man a beer

And spare a thought for all the team
Now back at the North Pole
After their exhausting journey
With reindeer on patrol

And any other person
Who didn’t get a rest
Let’s toast them for their service
With thankfulness expressed