I am an avid reader. If I’m honest I like feel-good books, a bit of escapism. I’ve worked out that it’s impossible to switch my brain off, to stop my mind wandering to the latest work issue, so I have to make sure I occupy it in other ways and reading becomes like therapy.

As I said I like feel-good books, the girlier the better, the sort that if you were bothered about image you’d hide the titles behind a Financial Times, especially when on business travel. Not that I do worry about image too much. Those of you that have seen me dash into a meeting wet through from the rain, dragging my wheelie suitcase behind me, will know that I’ve never quite mastered the corporate image thing. What you see is what you get!

Anyway back to reading! For some reason one of my Christmas presents from my stepson was a book that was a bit more depressing, or so I thought, a book about the struggles of a family with a terminally ill daughter. I’ve left it on the shelf for weeks, but then I ran out of reading matter options and thought I’d give it a try. I have to admit to shedding a few tears along the way, but in some strange way I still think this book fits the feel-good category. Especially so this past weekend.

This weekend my nineteen year old nephew had a real scare. I’m very close to my nieces and nephews, they are fantastic young adults and I’m hugely proud of them. Now my nineteen year old nephew, as most nineteen year olds, has the world at his feet; at Uni, beautiful girlfriend, football team captain, thinks he’s indestructible. So when his arm swelled up he thought it couldn’t be anything serious, he had probably just slept on it funny, after all when you’re indestructible how could it be anything serious?!

After some considerable persuasion and coercion, he ends up at the hospital on Sunday and in the high dependency unit by Monday. Now I’m not writing about this for the sympathy vote, he is on the mend, and I’m sure his mum has aged ten years, but he’s taking things in his stride. All this trauma together with my very sad, but strangely uplifting book got me thinking.

We all have good days and bad days at work, I admit to having the highest highs and the lowest lows, and work does this for me. But every now and again something happens in life that reminds you about perspective, which puts work and all its challenges in the rightful place in the order of things.

This weekend’s medical scare and my reading material reminded me of the need for perspective. I know those in my team will remind me some more the next time they see me forget this lesson.

Take care

Janice

xx