Happy Valentines Day to Everyone !
I cannot think of a better way to spend the day other than with Family, Friends and Loved Ones.
I know that this is not always possible because I experienced it firsthand when I traveled from my home in Guyana to London England to train as a Registered Nurse leaving behind my family, friends and my love.
I thought I would never be able to cope with being away from home and I cried every single day without shame ~ this continued for some time until I was dubbed “Cry Baby”. Not attending the dining room for meals and hibernating in my room was my refuge. The funny thing was that I thought I was being inconspicuous but it had the reverse effect because the Matron (head of the hospital) would do a head count and always came up one short so she made it her priority to find the missing person.
All I knew about Matron was what I’d heard through the grapevine. That she was tough and would not hesitate to ask students to return to their homeland if their behaviour or progress did not please her~ everyone feared her. Music to my ears I thought! I’ll misbehave and she can send me back home! Good! I had a way out; or so I thought!
Valentine’s Day came around rather quickly and I was doing my crying as usual in the hallway, when I heard a voice saying:
“Come, come now ! It can’t be that bad can it?” “Yes it is” I blurted out, “and if you won’t send me home then I’ll have to find some way to misbehave”! Without saying a single word she gently held my hand, led me to her office and closed the door. I remember one girl started a rumour that I was being arrested because she saw Matron holding my hand and leading me to her office. Matron never held anybody’s hand. Procedure was that if she needed to see you, you were summoned to her office, then you would ring the illuminated bell outside the door and wait until it read “Enter”. You would then proceed with caution.
Anyway when we were safely ensconsed in her office, we both sat down and she ordered pretty little heart shaped cakes with scones, buttered heart shaped toast, jam and tea…..”Happy Valentine’s Day Little Lamb” she said. We feasted for what seemed like hours and I actually ate! She told me that she loved me and would not let any one harm me and I could think of her as my mother because I was safe with her and her establishment.
That was the beginning of a long lasting loving relationship with Matron and myself. I never feared her, I loved her and she loved me. I was no longer “Cry Baby” but “Matron’s blue eyes ” meaning I could do no wrong. I treated her like my mother and would throw myself into her arms for warm hugs where ever I saw her and she always reciprocated. Because of her I completed my training as a Registered Nurse and later became a State Certified Midwife. I could still hear her saying as she looked at me with tears in her eyes, ” I knew you could do it ! Jolly good” !
A few years ago on one of my trips to England, I tried desperately to find my Matron but was unsuccessful. I hope that wherever she is, she thinks of me sometimes because I certainly do to this day. This stranger to me and the woman most people feared was a loving person who showed me unconditional love and as she always said ” Love is Universal my Dear “.
Thank you Matron !
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© Pamela Alleyne-Tracey @ Happy Healthy Hearty Living