"1Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. "
I sat in the cold waiting room of the medical centre, reading my book. Why must they make the air conditioning so cold? If people were sick, surely the cold would not help? Being one of the first there, more people walked in as time went by. Finally it was my turn. I went in to the doctor's office, and he told me the good news -- my blood test showed that I'm free of the ailment he had tested me for. That's great, but it still doesn't explain why I feel the way I do. The doctor then went on to ask me about my sleep patterns, which haven't been great lately. A long lecture ensued. He told me about the evils of watching the television at night, and said he only watched the Discovery Channel, and other documentaries. Even the news was a waste of time, he says! I was quite amused. Then he asked me if I had air conditioning in my room. "Yes," I said, but I hardly ever use it. He said that humidity can sometimes distrupt sleep, and then went on to tell me to put switch it to 27 degrees Celcius. OK, I thought.. this is new! After his long lecture, he also asked me to stay away from stimulants - coffee, tea, alcohol and the like, and took my pulse before presribing me some medication. I thanked him and walked out of the door feeling rather amused. Well, I had seen this doctor twice before, and he was very stern, silent, and didn't talk at all. I wonder why the sudden change... hmm... people are indeed strange.
Funnily enough, the next day I experienced a very bad stomach pain, and went to see another doctor after work. He asked me a thousand and one questions to find out what was really wrong, and explained to me all the possibilities - some rather interesting, others, highly unlikely. Another long lecture. I guess I learnt something. Perhaps the next time I have a stomach ache, I'd be able to diagnose it myself. Again, the last time I saw this doctor, he was neither chatty nor friendly at all. This time he seemed different. I wonder why. As I walked out from his office, although in pain, I was quite amused.
I learnt three lessons here. First, people are rather unpredictable at times, and sometimes first impressions do not do them justice. Sometimes we judge people wrongly and are prejudiced just because of one or two negative incidents. Instead, we are supposed to be gracious, just as God has been gracious to us. One thing that I am grateful to God for is the fact that He has been very gracious and patient to me, and I think in return, I should do the same for others. Second, in my sickness, I felt very blessed by friends who have been concerned for me. It's a great comfort to know that I am cared for and that I am not alone. Third, health is precious, just as life is. I don't really understand why I am "stricken" twice in a row. One being a long standing problem, the other a sudden one. I am reminded once again that my life is in God's hands, and He can do as He please. Of course I can do my part in taking care of my health, but ultimately, it is not really within my control - and for that, I am glad. In spite of my pain, I give thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment