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Code Purple!!
Roughly 25 years ago I met my best friend Pam and her husband during pre-natal classes. It was amazing how much we had in common. For one thing as I looked at her wedding picture during a visit, I was shocked at what I saw...Sure enough--we had the very same wedding dress!! We also got married during the same month, we were both nurses, and our babies were due days apart!! Over the years we watched our children grow up and we shared their milestones together! We laughed and we cried together as we weathered many of life's storms.
Shortly before our babies were born, we decided to develop a special hotline. It was a 24-hr/7-day a week hotline designed to be a safe haven in case we ever felt the stress of motherhood and life getting the best of us. The rules were we could call anytime we were upset and announce it was a code purple. Knowing that we could scream and yell--even call each other every name in the book and the other would not take it personally. It was a haven to get things off our chest--a place to go where there was no judgements or criticisms. After we would calm down, we often talked together about the issues. Those discussions helped us keep things in perspective and allowed for introspection and learning and we both learned a lot over the years.
Migraine headaches were another experience Pam and I shared through the years. We both knew the pain and agony of such debilitating pain and when those around us couldn't understand the agony, depression and helplessness, we could. We were able to gain strength from that support and encouragement.
I believe everyone should have access to a Code Purple hotline--someone they can talk to and express themselves to without fear of redicule or judgement.
25 years later, our children are grown. The Code Purple hotline has carried us through life, death, divorce, chronic pain and illness, and a host of other crises. It remains alive and well and our friendship has remained a precious gift to the both of us.
Related Topics: positive thinking
Shortly before our babies were born, we decided to develop a special hotline. It was a 24-hr/7-day a week hotline designed to be a safe haven in case we ever felt the stress of motherhood and life getting the best of us. The rules were we could call anytime we were upset and announce it was a code purple. Knowing that we could scream and yell--even call each other every name in the book and the other would not take it personally. It was a haven to get things off our chest--a place to go where there was no judgements or criticisms. After we would calm down, we often talked together about the issues. Those discussions helped us keep things in perspective and allowed for introspection and learning and we both learned a lot over the years.
Migraine headaches were another experience Pam and I shared through the years. We both knew the pain and agony of such debilitating pain and when those around us couldn't understand the agony, depression and helplessness, we could. We were able to gain strength from that support and encouragement.
I believe everyone should have access to a Code Purple hotline--someone they can talk to and express themselves to without fear of redicule or judgement.
25 years later, our children are grown. The Code Purple hotline has carried us through life, death, divorce, chronic pain and illness, and a host of other crises. It remains alive and well and our friendship has remained a precious gift to the both of us.
Related Topics: positive thinking
