What is your name: PAULA NORMAN

Who do you want the poem written for: LISA (FRIEND)

Why do you want the poem written: i'M ABOUT TO GO ABROAD TO WORK AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK HER FOR BEING THERE AND MAKING SURE i'M ON THE RIGHT ROAD

What style of poem would you prefer (happy, sad, romantic etc.):HAPPY AND SAD

What are the key messages you would like to send: I FIRST MET LISA WHEN WE BEGAN WORKING TOGETHER IN SEPTEMBER 2002. WE ARE BOTH CHILDRENS NURSES. WE HIT IT OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR THINGS BEGAN TO RAPIDLY GO DOWN HILL FOR ME AND EVEN THOUGH I NEVER ADMITTED IT I WAS DEPRESSED. sHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME AND NEVER REALLY GAVE UP ON ME. BY MAY 2003 THINGS REALLY WERE INTOLERABLE AND I WAS FINDING WORK AND LIFE IN GENERAL UNBEARABLE. THOSE AROUND ME FOUND MY EVER CHANGING MOODS UNBEARABLE TO THE EXTENT THE PEOPLE I WAS LIVING WITH DECIDED THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE WITH ME ANY MORE. LISA WAS THERE AND TOLD ME POINT BLANK TO SORT IT OUT OR SHE WOULD INFORM OUR WORK MANAGER. I DIDN'T SORT IT AND SHE INFORM MY MANAGER WHICH RESULTED IN ME BEING PUT ON ENFORCED ABSENCE FROM WORK FOR THREE WEEKS. i MET WITH HER DURING THIS PERIOD AND DISCLOSED VERY PERSONAL INFORMATION WHICH I HAD TOLD NO ONE BEFORE. IT WAS AS THOUGH A WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED BUT I STILL HAD AMAZINGLY LOW SELF ESTEEM AND WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANY POINT GOING ON. IN THE SUMMER OF THAT YEAR A GROUP OF FRIENDS INCLUDING LISA WENT ON HOLIDAY, I ENDED UP HAVING A DISAGREEMENT WITH LISA AND LEAVING EARLY. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT I ALSO HAD TO MOVE HOMES. I DECIDED AT THAT POINT THAT I WANTED NOTHING MORE TO DO WITH LISA (WE WERE NO LONGER WORKING ON THE SAME WARD BUT IN THE SAME HOSPITAL). ON MANY OCCASIONS SHE TRIED TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION WITH ME BUT I WAS HAVING NONE OF IT AND SHE SAID SHE WAS NOT GIVING UP ON ME. IT WASN'T UNTIL CHRISTMAS THAT SHE CAME ROUND FOR COFFEE BUT THING WERE STILL RATHER TENSE. IN JANUARY 2005 MY MANAGER WAS LEAVING WORK AND LISA CAME TO THE LEAVING DO AND THIS WAS REALLY THE TURNING POINT. SINCE THEN WE HAVE MET REGULARLY BUT I ALWAYS HAVE THE PAST FEW YEARS HANDING OVER MY HEAD. LISA MARRIED JAMES IN THE SUMMER 2004 AND AN INVITATION DROPPED ON MY DOOR. PART OF ME WANTED TO GO AND PART OF ME DIDN'T. THERE WERE GOING TO BE PEOPLE THERE THAT I HADN'T SPOKEN TOO FOR A YAER AND FRANKLY I WAS SCARED. LISA SAID SHE REALLY WANTED ME THERE BUT IT HAD TO BE MY DECISION. I ENDED UP GOING BUT DIDN'T ENJOY MYSELF BECAUSE I FELT I WAS BEING JUDGED. LISA DID A SPEECH AND PRESENTED ME WITH CHOCOLATES AND THANKED ME FOR BEING THERE FOR HER OVER THE LAST YEAR WHILST SHE WAS PLANNING HER WEDDING.I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE WAS SAYING AND TOGETHET WITH BEING EMBARRASSED I BECAME EXTREMELY ANGRY. I SOON REALISE THAT THAT WAS JUST THE LISA I HAD COME TO TRUST AND LOVE. SHE HAS ENCOURAGED SHE IN ALL THAT I HAVE DONE AND HAS ALWAYS LISTENED TO MY ENDLESS MOANING. I WILL SHORTLY BE LEAVING THE UK TO WORK ABROAD FOR TWO YEARS AND I IF IT WASN'T FOR LISA I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS

Do you have any other comments or thoughts: I WOULD LIKE LISA TO KNOW HOW GRATEFUL I AM THAT SHE NEVER GAVE UP ON ME AND THAT I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL BLAME HER FOR MY ENFORCED ABSENCE. PLEASE INCLUDE SOMETHING ABOUT ME BEING EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY STUBBORN!

Please choose which package you would prefer:Economy

Will you require the original handwritten drafts?:No

Do you have any last comments or thoughts: I THINK I'VE SAID TOO MUCH, HOPE YOU ARE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT. THIS ISN'T URGENT BECAUSE I WON'T BE GOING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS

I'm No Moaner, Lisa

As one journey starts another adventure, another journey, sadly comes to an end, and Lisa, I just wanted to say thank you, I wanted to say thanks, for being my friend. You've always been right there for me, (and a friend in need is a friend indeed), and I wanted to thank you for your guidance, to be honest, I've followed your every lead. Because you've always looked out for me, and you've ensured that I was on the right road, and I know I'll never repay my debt to you, as it's eternal gratitude that you're owed. We first met when we nursed together, if I recall, it was the month of September, 2002, and we hit it off just about immediately, we became a great team, just me and you. But for me, things went downhill quite rapidly, although I wouldn't admit to being depressed at the time, but you were always there for me, you never gave up, and eventually, you put the reason back in my rhyme. By May 2003 things were really intolerable, I was finding work and life just too darn hard, my ever changing moods were simply unbearable, and those closest to me became quite battle scarred. My flat-mates had enough and effectively evicted me, you were there and told me point blank to sort it out, of course, I didn't and endured three weeks of enforced absence, and during that time, I found what friendship is all about. Because I met with you during that very lonely period, and I told you secrets that had never been told before, it felt like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders, because I didn't have to carry that burden any more. But I still had an amazingly low self esteem, and at times, I wondered the point of carrying on, but all through those dark, dank and horrible days, your unconditional friendship still brightly shone. In the summer we all decided to go on holiday, but I argued and disagreed with you and left in a huff, it was at that point I also had to move homes, so in terms of us, I thought enough is enough. But we still worked in the same hospital, there were many times when you tried to make amends, but stubbornly, I would simply have none of it, but you wouldn't give up on us becoming lifelong friends. It wasn't until Christmas of that year, that was when I started to see a little common sense, you came around for a chat and a coffee, although I'll admit, things were still rather tense. In January you came to my manager's leaving do, and that really was the point of the turnaround, and ever since, we have met regularly, and there's a deeper kind of friendship that we've found. Although it hasn't all been plain sailing, I remember when your invitation landed on my mat, part of me wanted to go, part of me didn't, I guess I was scared of being judged, it's as simple as that. I remember your beautiful speech and the chocolates, and never has there been a more thoughtful gift, but I just got embarrassed and then pathetically angry, now I just realize you were trying to give me a lift. Because you were just being the Lisa I know the Lisa that I have come to trust and to love, you've always encouraged me to be all that I can, you've given me the wings to master those clouds above. And you've also had to listen to my endless moaning, but despite all that, you've pushed me towards my goal, and I just wanted to thank you for being you, you are the one that has made me completely whole. I'm just so grateful that you never gave up on me, and thanks to you, I'm grateful for so many other things, for without you, I would never have achieved my goals, Lisa, thank you, you are the one that has given me these wings. Just know that I will never blame you for that enforced absence, because I know now, I can be as stubborn as a stubborn mule, but I think you'll be glad to know that my moaning's over, Lisa, I promise, I'm now no moaner, that's the rule.

Copyright www.agiftofpoetry.co.uk 2009

Allen Jesson

Comments:

Thank you this is amazing.