Karma

[Athos]

In keeping with my long standing tradition of not being able to sleep on Sunday nights, I’m going to talk about something that I believe very strongly in. Karma. The Golden Rule. Getting what you give. Reaping what you sow . Regardless of how you choose to look at it or what reason you see behind it, regardless of what name you use to describe it, it is a force that I’ve seen working in my life for as long as I can remember.

I started this weekend in a not so great state of mind. All week I’d been juggling insane work hours and numerous final projects for college. Friday night comes around and where am I? With some friends cramming for the TWO exams I have scheduled for Saturday MORNING. Then I get a phone call from my Mom and learn that my grandmother has fallen, fractured her hip in two places and she needs surgery to replace it.

Fuck my life.

Saturday comes and I spent the morning and early afternoon in school writing my exams and the late afternoon at the hospital. The surgery was supposed scheduled for Monday evening. That’s time enough to spend Sunday studying and write my exam Monday morning and then get to the hospital in time to see her before she goes in. Then, just as we’re about to leave for the night when the doctor comes in telling us that now the surgery is set for Sunday at 11 a.m.

So much for studying.

Fuck my life twice.

After we finish talking to the doctor, we make our way home for a restless night of tossing and turning. We’re all a little frustrated and a lot afraid. Morning comes and we drag ourselves out of bed and head over to the hospital. The next couple of hours are filled with jokes to cover fear and smiles to cover tears all the while wondering when they came to take her if we would ever see her again.

Now to be fair, hip replacements are not the most dangerous of dangerous surgeries, but unpredictable things happen when older people go under the knife and visions of my grandfather lying on a hospital bed struggling to breathe shortly before dying kept running through my mind.

At about 12:30 they come to take her and the waiting game begins. Three hours later, the news in is. There was more damage than they thought, but they were able to repair and replace everything they needed to. Since they used a spinal block instead of putting her to sleep, now only was she out of surgery and back in her room, but she was awake and ready to see us!

All thoughts of exams fly completely out of my mind as we rush back to see her and find her struggling with the oxygen hose and muttering “God damn stupid thing,” in Dutch. Not only is Oma awake, she’s fucking pissed. Between not being able to move her leg and not being allowed to eat something she’s about ready to take somebody’s head off! Needless to say, we’re all happy to see her in such aggressive spirits.

A few more hours are spent talking and joking, watching Oma press the morphine button thirty times in a minute, growling and grumping at the machine the entire time. When we finally get home after a 13 hour day, we’re exhausted but in good spirits. I take one look at the exam review and declare in a loud voice.

“Fuck it! I’ve got a decent mark so far and the exam isn’t worth that much! I’ll wing it. I’m going to bed.”
And just as I settle down to try and sleep, my phone goes off telling me I have a text. It’s a girl from my block telling me that she’d just completed the review and sent it to my school email, just in case I hadn’t had time to work on it.

All of a sudden, not only are my fears about my Oma gone, so is that little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that I’m not going to pass my exam. In a single moment the night of teaching my buddies how to actually use the Criminal Code for their law exam, waking up in at 3 a.m. to send the Psychology review to people scrambling for last minute study notes, going in to work when I’m not even scheduled just to help my boss even though I have a billion other things to do and spending the weekend in the hospital at my Oma’s bedside worried sick is repaid in full.

Life is a truly a wondrous set of circumstances. If you give what you have when you have it, you’ll get what you need when you need it.

Night folks.

Soundtrack for this entry: Price Tag by Jessie J

[crystaltears]

I'm so glad to hear your Grandmother's alright. Moreso that your classmate was so kind as to send you that review. :-)

I've always tried to do the 'good thing' in regards to people when I'm able.. Especially if it costs me nothing to do it, but even if it does have a cost... I figure each little ounce of good we do in the world will have an effect on someone.. And make them more inclined to do similar good by others, and that's how ripples are born.

I suppose it's a lot like the theory shown in the move Pay it Forward, but that... to my mind, was sort of like Karma in motion.

Thanks for sharing, Athos. :-)

[Jated]

A true blessing, sometimes in disguise.  Good luck!

[Athos]

I'm so glad to hear your Grandmother's alright. Moreso that your classmate was so kind as to send you that review. :-)

I've always tried to do the 'good thing' in regards to people when I'm able.. Especially if it costs me nothing to do it, but even if it does have a cost... I figure each little ounce of good we do in the world will have an effect on someone.. And make them more inclined to do similar good by others, and that's how ripples are born.

I try to do the same. There's really no telling what kind of effect even the smallest act of kindness can have. My classmate had no idea just how much she was helping me out when she sent the review, but she is the only reason I passed that exam.

A true blessing, sometimes in disguise.  Good luck!

Thanks, I just finished my last one and I'm happy to report that it looks like I may make the Dean's list again this semester! Woohoo!

[Jated]

Woohoo!!  Congrats!

[Athos]

Woohoo!!  Congrats!

Thanks!

[Kuroneko]

Karma and synchronicity are amazing things.

I'm glad to hear your Oma is doing well after such a hard challenge.  Congrats on the dean's list!

[Athos]

Karma and synchronicity are amazing things.

I'm glad to hear your Oma is doing well after such a hard challenge.  Congrats on the dean's list!

Indeed they are! And thank you!