What is willing to meet you?

 Fall Fashion Week for Hospital Masks. Nothing has changed this year.

Ugh. Flu shots. Not a fan. Usually, hospital settings require employees and volunteers to get flu shots, or give an alternative of wearing a mask. So be prepared! Those masks can be annoying and I'm sure it would pass for Halloween and the month of October, but I really didn't want to wear that thing for 6 months. I don't whiten my teeth for nothing!

So what's up with the blog title? It's actually a sort of mantra that IHTP uses when asking yourself "What is willing to meet me?" when you are in a harp therapist role. So I did this yesterday, and sometimes found my feet taking me to the outdoor setting that I hadn't played at yet. Or, I got a feeling to follow this lady to the waiting room and play there.

Even while I'm playing, I'm constantly thinking..."Is that enough? Should I move on? I've got 4 other places to be at!" but no, I stayed where I was, and then finished my session for the day. I need to listen to these hunches and use my intuition and not be worried if I didn't play for the lady in the restroom.

CHALLENGE: One of the volunteers in the hospital loves to come up and chat with me while I'm playing and HOVER. I cannot stand hovering. I know I will eventually get used to it, but seeing her over-drawn pink lipstick is just too close. I felt the stress bunch up in my body...and it was a challenge to let it go and get over my "Ack she is analyzing my hand position!" thoughts. (Edit: she has actually become one of my biggest supporters now and I don't mind the hovering one bit...)

INVISIBLE: I have noticed that there are certain types of people that are just not on the same wavelength as the harp or the music. In large hallways, they don't even notice or look at the harp as it passes by them. They don't stop to hear the music. I can feel their self-absorbed-ness regarding work, stress, and their lives. It is true that mostly children and the elderly are most responsive...but I can tell the ones that it does reach even if they don't want to bother me. Like the random black guy who did a pirouette by me.

CRAVING: Chocolate and bedside harp playing. Both at the same time is fine with me. I can tell that my playing in waiting rooms is not satisfying my bedside harp therapy needs. I'm not sure when the hospital will allow me to do this just yet, so I want to look into volunteering at a hospice. I'll keep you updated.

WINGS: What's up with everyone wanting me to wear wings in the hospital? I mean, fine for Halloween, but yeah...what are your thoughts on this? Is it too "Oh please, she thinks she's an angel!" or "Haha, that's funny, but it's not Halloween."