It’s the place you hate to be.
No, not the dentist, but close. I’m talking about a doctor’s office. Visiting a doctor for anything is not on my top list of tolerable things to do. First, there’s getting time off work on a specific day, finding care for any little people still at home, then finding one available parking space within a two-mile radius. Once that’s behind you, you wait for up to an hour in the waiting room before being taken to the exam room. Here it really gets uncomfortable. Sometimes, you are forced onto a scale. The number is recorded like you just committed a felony. Other times, the air conditioning is on full blast yet staff insist that removing all your clothes and wearing an ugly nightgown is a great idea. Now, the waiting game starts fresh… only anxiety has come to hold my hand. I remember all the times I’ve waited with a loved one for news I don’t want to hear. From a skin check to a general physical, the only time I smile is when it’s over. There is no joy in this for me.
A slight knock at the door interrupts my daydream.
Darn, I had begun to relax! I sit up straighter, let out that breath I was holding, then remind myself to take another one. The door creaks open and in walks my doctor. At least, I think it’s my doctor. I didn’t really hear her introduce herself because I was too busy staring at her. She’s actually wearing cute clothes. She’s actually smiling. She’s young and pretty and happy. And she’s got hot pink highlights in her hair. Can she really be my doctor?
But wait. Doctors are supposed to be professional and uber smart. They are supposed to stick to boring clothes and businesslike attitudes, aren’t they? Or are they…
Secret number one.
I’m a nurse. I’ve worked with doctors and fellow nurses for 17 years and counting. These people are very, very smart. They do take the business of your health seriously. And they don’t like to make you wait. But the person ahead of you has needs, too. That person is important, too, even when unexpected things happen and it takes more time from your day.
Secret number two.
Doctors, nurses, and all healthcare staff are just like you when they put on a gown. Yes, we occasionally are the recipients of healthcare. It’s actually even harder for us…since your job doesn’t make you take your clothes off, by choice, in front of your co-workers. We don’t like to wait in the waiting room, either, and we have just as much trouble scheduling appointments. We have just as much trouble with parking.
Back to the pink hair.
We all have a deep inner desire to express ourselves and let the world know we are unique. Some of us are more creative than others in our approach to this concept. But let’s go deeper. Let’s figure out why we do these things. Do we do this for beauty? Do we want admiration or attention? How do we justify these things? Why do we justify these things?
I hope you do it for joy.
I hope you do it for the glory of your Creator. He delights in all his creation and that includes you. He knows how many individual hairs are on your head and what your real hair color is. You cannot fool him into thinking your hair is a color it’s not… no matter how many times you dye it. But He loves to see you happy. He delights in your joy. So, what color do you want your hair to be?
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