Saturday's Notes

I worked last night. It was hard. There were signs up around the club saying we were hiring. Everyone was finding out that Beth was quitting. Many were upset and disappointed. Beth is well-liked by the members. The manager had some anxiety about filling the position.

Early in the evening one of the former employees came in. She had been in the ER the night before with chest pains. She’s only 37. They determined she had swelling around her heart that was brought on by stress. The job she took after she left Curves was extremely stressful. She was praying for a new job. Paula was praying for someone to replace Beth and fretting about how she was going to get this person trained. Beth didn’t want to leave Paula in the lurch. One note from Tracie answered all three prayers.

Then we had staff meeting. I was feeling really sick to my stomach for in my purse was my resignation letter. Finally when the meeting was over and everyone had left I had Paula’s undivided attention and we talked about my need and reasons to resign. In my letter, because Tracie’s return was not foreseen , I agreed to work through March and Saturdays in April. As we talked I agreed to work in the Saturday rotation (probably 1 time per month. That’s not a bad trade off for a free membership.

I cried while we talked. I really like working at Curves. I believe in the program. I enjoy the people. But I’m tired, very, very tired. Many changes are coming that might make it so that I don’t even want to work on Saturdays. While I talked about my stress level, Paula told me that a nearby Curves needs a manager. She told me that she wouldn’t hesitate at all to recommend me for the position. It was tempting for a brief moment. The pay is hourly and $4 an hour less than I’m making right now at my full-time job. If it wasn’t a 25 minute drive away there might be more appeal. But with gas projected at $4 a gallon it just wouldn’t work.

Thursday and Friday I showed the documentary entitled: Flight From Death The Quest for Immortality. Both groups expressed that they got a lot from the movie. It was really well done. I followed it by reading the poem the dash. Have you heard it?

The Dash
By Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?


And now I think I’ll go to bed. I need to work on Ron’s resume, but I’m so tired that I can’t hardly focus on the screen. I think it will turn out better tomorrow. Sweet Dreams.