Making her daily rounds at the hospital one morning and coming into patient room 1010 on the Cardiac Ward, Dr. Mary Nelson is startled as a patient suddenly wakes up and shouts -  

"Who are you?"

"Good morning, why my name is Dr. Mary Nelson.  I am your attending physician."

"No, I mean who really are you?"

"I am Dr. Mary Nelson; your attending physician."

"I know that.  What I want to know is who really are you?"

"I am sorry.  I don't understand?"

"As for me I know that I am old.  I didn't eat well all my life and didn't care to exercise.  And, yes, I had a few beers each night when I came home from work.  That's most likely what landed me in this place. I have two children, and I am trying to repair our relationships after too many years of neglect.  And my wife, Lisa, is a saint who has stood by me for over 45 years. I don't care for church too much, but I am feeling lately that I better pay attention because time is running out.  This is who I am, so who are you?"

"Well, I am a 45-year old doctor who eats fairly well but doesn't get enough sleep because of my schedule.  I have two teenage children that spend way too much time on their smartphones. My husband is a marketing manager who travels quite a bit.  I do attend church when we can, which is mostly on the big occasions in the year, such as Easter and Christmas. How's that for ‘who am I?’

"Pretty good; except you left something out."

"What?"

"The same thing that I left out."

"And, what is that?"

"Are we happy with our lives so far?  As for me, that answer is ‘no.’

"What do mean?"

"Lying in this bed has given me a lot of time to think.  Reflecting on my life, I tend to remember the really bad and the really good.  Remembering the bad times depresses me, and even brings me to tears. There is nothing I can do about it now.  Things just happened. On the other hand, I remembered the great times; the happy times in my life. These memories bring a smile to my face and laughter to my soul.  I feel happy when I think and do happy things."

"So, doesn't the happy times outweigh the bad times?"

"No, because I am still selfish and grumpy for no good reason.  I have played the role of a victim for the most of my life by making excuses, and placing the blame on other people and events.  But I have decided that is all going to change!"

"How are you going to change?"

"I am going to choose my ‘Be’ each day."

"Choose your ‘Be?’”

"Yes, this morning I am going to choose to ‘Be Happy.’  Tomorrow, I am going to choose to ‘Be Loving.’ The next day, I am going to choose to ‘Be Kind’ and so on. "

"Just choosing your ‘Be’ will turn around your ways?"

"Choosing your ‘Be’ is only half of it.  You must also not let anyone or any event take your "Be" away from you.   Many will want to take your happiness, love, and kindness away, and replace it with loneliness, hatred, and indifference.  But don't let ‘em! I have given my ‘Be’ away in the past, but I am not going to let it happen again. You must keep your ‘Be!’ all day long."

"Wow, that is really interesting."

"So doctor, what will you ‘Be’ today?"

Until Next Friday,