Becoming a Pink Lady

Some of you may remember my post about becoming a Pink Lady. For those of you who don’t have the time or inclination to read the other post and find out what a Pink Lady is, let me assure you it has nothing to do with Pepto Bismol.

A Pink Lady is a volunteer at the local hospital. They deliver magazines, read to patients, help out at fund raising events, etc.

For the last several years I have thought about volunteering (key word-thought). Last year I took the first step. I went in and asked what I needed to do to sign up. Jan, the lady in charge of the program, couldn’t have been sweeter. “First,” she said, “You have to take a test about the hospital. It’s not hard and you can take it online if you want.”  That sounded great. I’m on the computer a lot and I could do it at my convenience. Only problem was, it took a long time before I found it convenient. After several months of “thinking” about it, I finally got it done. I’m happy to say I passed.

I went back to Jan. “Now what?” I asked.

“Now you get a TB skin test,” she said. “You have to do it before 3:30 in the afternoon because the lady who gives the test leaves then.”

“No problem,” I said.

Months passed. The holidays were just around the bend and I was too busy. Then my aunt fell off a ladder while decorating her Christmas tree and ended up in the hospital. I went to visit with her and remembered my skin test. Because of my aunt, I got the test. Thankfully I passed that one too. I went back to Jan.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Now you get your badge made, you get your lovely pink jacket and I take you around and show you the ropes. But you have to get your badge made when Laurie’s in the office and she’s not here today.”

Uh-oh.

My aunt got out of the hospital. Christmas came and went, then New Years. Today is January 21 and I am proud to report that yesterday I got my jacket, my name tag and today is my first official day as a Pink Lady.

I have a confession to make, if it wasn’t for Less of Me Month here at NanaHood I’m not sure I would have made the extra effort yesterday to get my jacket and badge. It was pouring rain. I didn’t have a lick of makeup on (not even mascara) and it was almost time for me to pick up my granddaughter. I looked at the clock and weighed my options.  Did it really matter if I got wet, looked like death warmed over on my name badge and was a few minutes late to pick up Abby? I thought about how long the simple process has taken me and felt a wave of guilt wash over me (or maybe that was the monsoon that managed to hit right as I pulled in the hospital parking lot).

Focusing on the needs of others and going out of our way to do good takes time (sometimes a long time) and effort, but it’s worth it. I look so cute in my pink jacket. Pink is sooo my color. Just don’t look too closely at the picture on my name badge! Yesterday was a really bad hair day!