In the 'Mood'

We teach a primary class for our local LDS church every Sunday.  There are SEVEN six-year-old boys in our class.  Some of them have special needs.  They can be surly.  They can be sweet.  It can be fun.  It can be a challenge.
  Recently, I taught a lesson about repentance and used a band-aid in an analogy for healing our spiritual wounds.  I had, in my home stash and for in-class distribution, a box of band-aids... not just any band-aids, but SUPERHERO band-aids!  I was sure this would be an enormous hit and likewise prepared myself to be thanked and praised.  The variety included: Captain America, The Hulk, Ironman, etc.  At the end of class, I offered each boy in attendance his very own band-aid.  A couple chose theirs apathetically, before one young gent spit out, "Band-aids are useless!" and rushed out the door.  Another boy thought about it for a bit before pushing my hand back, shrugging his shoulders, and announcing, "Nah, I'm not really in the mood."
  I guess my lesson was on humility.  That, and never, ever assume you know what kind of reaction a 6-year-old boy will have.  Ever.

The Girl of Your Dreams

Same scenario as the last post, different patient:
   Corpulent, early 60's, a little homely.   He was "going to the beach" and planning on having lots of "margaritas" and generally seemed very pleased with himself for creating his own dream.  The last thing he mentioned was, "Yeah, and get to see my wife in her bathing suit!"  Sweet.

Singing, singing of you...

  The operating room is cold, sterile, and uninviting.  Often, just before a patient is 'drifted off to sleep'  for a surgical procedure, we encourage them to make themselves a bit more comfortable--- if only in their mind.  Recently, a young college football player was in my care and I said something like, "Pick out a good dream to have."
   Anesthesia added as they pushed propofol, "Are you going to the Bahamas, or some place warm?"
   "Nah."  His lips rose into a gritty smirk, his eyes started to roll back, and he whispered (as if riding into the sunset that very moment), "I'm headed out West."
   Made my day.