A time for gratitude

It is sometimes said that Christmas should be a time of gratitude, and a season of goodwill. And as if by magic, last week we received a lovely message (below) from someone who has made much use of Care Opinion in the past and has also blogged here previously.

At Care Opinion we often talk of the power of gratitude to create change, for giver, for receiver, and perhaps for others who witness it.

In receiving this gift of gratitude ourselves, we can already feel the difference it makes: we feel lifted, encouraged, strengthened. We feel our determination build: we can contribute something of value, and we will. We will keep on keeping on.

I hope that this wintertime, you also feel gratitude in some form, whether as giver or receiver, or simply as a witness to others. I hope you will feel it warm you, connect you, and hearten you. We all need that, and especially now.

Very best wishes for Christmas and the new year, from all of us at Care Opinion.

Message from A Catherine Wheel

Hello Team Care Opinion

Just to say have an enjoyable Christmas, and a 2021 that will be fulfilling for each of you.

You all work so hard for people like me to have the chance to say something about health and care issues. Care Opinion is a brilliant concept and I hope that it will continue as long as people access health and care settings, wherever they might be, and with whoever provides them.

Thank you all for your care, assistance, and determination to make this happen. You offer a platform that is easy to access, easy to put a comment on, either in words or pictures, and one that is a positive experience to use. Your checking processes ensures no one slips up with data protection, etiquette etc. It can be worrying for a posting person who presses send and then realises that they have unwittingly come unstuck!

Sometimes I think it might be easier to change the world than effect change in health and care services, but if we keep going, make our comments, one day one little bit happens, one person benefits. That makes it all worthwhile. Even just posting, and the feeling that we have done that, makes so much difference to us as people in the short term, and maybe even for our lives.

It's hard to say what "success" is, what "change" is. Please keep on going. Even when you feel “what's the point?” Just keep on going. There is always a point. There's always a person like me, formerly A Catherine Wheel, who spins and shines and sparks because of you. Thank you.

No matter that one day I will fizz fizz fizzle out. It doesn't matter. Having a say, having an opinion, and that most important aspect of all, a place to share it, matters greatly. You are the place. You are the people. Thank you.

Merry Christmas

A Catherine Wheel