While doing a session, this beautiful song came on and, as I read the words, I thought of the way the kindness of strangers has touched my heart the last several days.
I had pulled up at Action Sport Nutrition in Rockwall when a guy rolled down his window to tell me something.
I stepped closer to his car and told him that I couldn’t hear him because I’m hard of hearing. . He got out and showed me where my skid plate had came loose. He was kind enough to remove his mask so I could read his lips.He cared enough to stop and alert a stranger about something. That’s kindness.
I went into the store where I’ve gone for years because I know the owner is such a kind man.Of course, after telling Matt what happened, Matt walked out and looked under my car, too, and assured me that I could drive safely back to work.At Healthy Banh Mi, the young lady that took my order, used her phone to verify who I was and after giving my order to me, she signed “thank you” with kindness in her eyes.I had a new client that looked up on YouTube the way to sign “thank you” and surprised me by signing it after his massage.When I was at MOD Pizza a few weeks ago, another client recognized my situation, as I tried to understand what was being said to me and she came to my rescue.The kindness of strangers makes such a difference, even more so when you have a hearing loss and depend on lip reading in a world where almost every place masks are required.
I have found, though, that masks seem to bring out the best in most people or maybe it’s just me, and I receive the best because I expect it- I really do… I expect to be treated with kindness, I expect to be able to read lips and I expect to find good people in my path and somehow, that isexactly what happens.So if you see me out and about and if you’ve got on a mask, I promise it’s not my intention to be rude, but I really can’t understand a word you say behind that mask… But I can understand every kindness you show me and others.Just remember this, “kindness is the language that the blind can see and the deaf can hear.”#deaftherapist #writingmyheartoutHere is the song…https://open.spotify.com/track/4pgHkl7iKEPDHQR1amlotA?si=qf1YjyGBRVi8Yp15YyjNjQTell me how the kindness of strangers has brighten your day!

In my life
I’ve read bedtime stories
Nursery rhymes
Cosmopolitan magazines
Romance novels
Newspapers
Tattered love letters

I’ve read between the lines
The stories no one
Dares to read out loud

I’ve read body language
Loud and clear
An open invitation
Unyielding wall

The eyes have been
By far the easiest
For me to see
Desire and disdain
Respect and tolerance
Affection and aggravation
Hope and fear

But the thing I read
More than anything
Is the lips of whoever
Is speaking to me

👣♥️🤟Jeanna’ Mead.

The room was cold

Or maybe it was her

Wearing only blue jeans

And sandals on her feet

With a flowered print cape

Covering her breasts

She tried not to think

Too much

Too long

To breathe instead

And give it all

To God

The ache she felt

Tender to the touch

Made her feel so alone

So aware

She reached up underneath

Stroked the places where it hurt the most

She looked everywhere

In the sterile room

But found what she needed

Layered on her wrist

“You were given this life, because you are strong enough to live it.”

Òh, yes.

Damn straight

“She believed she could, and so she did.”

Amen.

Every bracelet she wears

Is a gift

It makes her think

Of the person that loved her enough

To give her what she needed

To get through days like this

When she has to sit

All by herself

Again and again

And she felt peace

About her bracelets and her breasts

Jeanna’ Mead. 7:07. 8.30.20

“Rest” he said

When she asked

For one word

*Rest,” she repeated

And placed her hand on his

Sometimes rest is what we need

Instead of other things

He needed rest

And she knew what to do

To give it to him

Right then and there

Each time, it was different

But one thing didn’t change

The way they could

Sit together

Quite content

To rest.

👣💙 Jeanna’ Mead
11 42 p.m. 8.17.20

It seems like such a little thing,

really it does

but maybe it is asking too much

to expect more than just the bare minimum

a reply

a simple “yes” or “no”

would be all it would take

some sort of closure

peace of mind

instead of being left dangling

Hanging in limbo

She would remember

really well

the next time

she is asked to do too much

Jeanna’ Mead 3 22 p.m 8,17,20

This was nothing new,

seemed like she had always knew

that if she stepped over the edge

she just might find herself falling

telling little white lies to herself

making do and doing without

standing on the blue lines

holding her breath

for as long as she could

just because that was the safest thing she knew to do

Jeanna; Mead. 5 29 p,m August 16 2020

So she wondered
If this was it
If what she was doing
Was enough or too much
She stood
On the ragged edge
Between one and the another
One foot on both sides
Would she fly
Or would she fall
If she did
Would anyone catch her
In the nick of time
Or would they wonder
How she had managed
To make it, after all.

👣♥️ Jeanna’ Mead
9 02 p.m. 8.15.20

I just read another post calling wearing a mask the ” most compassionate thing you can do”… I’m calling it bullshit.
When I go someplace where everyone is wearing a mask, I feel vulnerable and on guard.
I can’t understand anything anyone says with a mask on and because it covers so much of the face, it’s difficult to read facial expressions. That’s not compassionate.

My massage practice shares space with a center for counseling. Survivors of trauma, domestic abuse, sexual assault, etc are having an extremely difficult time adapting to this. It is undoing years of therapy…. When someone has been gagged, and raped by someone in a mask… seeing a person of the same build in a mask is terrifying.

Last Sunday, I pulled into the parking lot and just sat there, tears rolling down my face because I feel so vulnerable.
Trying to go into a store to get shoes for training when masks are required to walk inside… It isn’t compassionate.

You don’t know what demons others have to fight so don’t call wearing masks “the most compassionate” thing because, for the deaf and hard of hearing it isn’t, for the survivors of trauma, it isn’t, for the POW that has his PTSD triggered, it isn’t.

The only places I feel safe is #925NGoliad, Legends Fit, Anytime Fitness Rockwall, TX and San Jacinto Plaza, Downtown Rockwall….

Yesterday,a friend and I sat outside and drank Corona after his massage. I could read his lips and we had a great conversation.

I choose where I go, and who I’m with.
I will choose to be compassionate and not unleash any memories that a mask might trigger.

If you step into my space, walk with Love and take that mask off….. If you speak to me, take that mask off and for the love of God, if you are walking around outside, breath in the fresh air and take that damn mask off.

writingmyheartout #jeannasoul #925ngoliad #deaftherapist