We will all remember
It is not often that I feel compelled to speak out about - what I believe are - extremely important matters, and so loudly at that, but I was fortunate enough to cast my eyes upon a set of wonderfully crafted compliments from the students of Woodbridge High School. I thought I might let you all know that you’ll find them displayed around the Health and Wellbeing Centre in the hope that you’ll find as much pride and joy in them as I do knowing that they’re for you; but that’s not all that draws out my thoughts.
If such indirect recognition of our combined efforts - in my case - can give me such a sense of euphoria then, in your case; directly, it should drive home a greater impact; and home is what we’re aiming for here.
I have not been here as long as many of you and I’d imagine that we’ll have seen or are seeing more and more new faces around our Hospital during these troubling times. I am not the only one who will say that with the work culture around here, no-one can feel as if they’re not a part of the family so if you’re new and reading what I have to say, welcome to Whipps Cross!
Often, with families, we take each other for granted. We are less likely to compliment one-anothers’ achievements as we assume the others already know our meaningful thoughts, but at this time where it matters most against the scourge of bad – often-times PTSD-inducing - memories being made, I would like to praise you all for your relentless and unfailing efforts towards our success in this, what would seem like a, never-ending war against the rise of the pandemic.
I say war, but why war? You’ll find that one of those posters, written and decorated by Lara, made that important connection and it inspired my inner Winston Churchill, though perhaps not as apt as the man himself, to write to you all today for it is a war that we are facing globally that threatens a large portion of the Earth’s population, our family.
It is war, however unconventional it may seem, because we will lose people and it will take time and effort to reverse the effects once we have won out of it but make no mistake, we will win!
You are OUR soldiers! And, to every life lost, you have saved thousands and although that may not seem satisfactory now and perhaps remains unbearably painful but you MUST remember that your actions now, like many before in such dire times, are absolutely pivotal in directing our future as a race; a future in which many of us will live to see, thanks to you!
You have done so incredibly well, no matter what anybody may say against that, especially given the limited tools that the world has left at your disposal and for that, you will be our Heroes / Heroines on the other side of it all – the kind that Rianna drew and coloured and all the Woodbridge students defined you as in their posters! – and if you by any strange chance aren’t already considered so in the blind eyes of some, those who didn’t appreciate you up until this point will damn well appreciate the sacrifices you’ve made to give us life at the end of it all because – and this is the most important part - what you’ve done and are going to do is something you’ll one day, if not now; even, if not in the next 10 years, relish in the memory of; that you ALL have accomplished one of if not the most unselfishly heroic feats that mankind has ever seen, a good deed so great that it won’t be forgotten for the next thousand years.
You may not believe me when I say these things, or even want them to be true; be it through great humility or a false feeling of shame, but we will all remember you so you mustn’t forget yourselves.
Syd Downton is the Office Junior at the Whipps Cross management offices, and joined Whipps Cross via Project SEARCH.
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