Something serious for once.

Right.

I made it.

One afternoon shift on Monday, and 5 straight bloody night shifts.

On Thursday, which was supposed to be my off day, I worked instead. And my body cried out hang on! what happened? But heck, I just tried to tell myself it's all in the mind. If I were home, I'd be in front of my lappy anyways doing different things right. So what's the diff? Just soldier on and get it over and done with, eh?

Then on Friday, my back was so stiff I actually gave off a small groan when I got up from my work chair. OOoooh kay. Perhaps I'm getting too old for night shift? By 2am, I was a goner. I sat back in my chair and dozed. Actually, I now need to do a nap each shift but this time I slept. SLEPT slept, as in, I had dreams. lol. They were weird, so I remembered!

By Friday, I was knackered. My lappy needed a reinstall (WTF? it's only 3 monthys old!!) and I got less rest/sleep time than I wanted. But soldiering on, yes? I gave my word to my colleague I'd work, so I'd bloody better turn up.

Last shift on a Sat night. Last night, actually. I'm at the end of the road and I can see the car park ahead but between there and now, I have a whole expressway of honking, road-rage-fuelled drivers to handle. But miracle of miracles : I had a quiet night.

By way of background, you have to understand two things :

(1) Fri and sat nights can be pretty busy for us on the graveyard shift. Idiots get involved in motor accidents, for example, and call their insurance company (which is us). Families are going off on holidays and are buying last minute travel insurance policies (yup, us again). Policyholders have a leaky pipe and don't know who to call at 3am, so guess who? (wahey, us once more). Whatever happens between 11pm and 7am, we handle it. No such thing as asking manager to approve on next working day. We make the judgement call there and then.

(2) I am now a firm believer in holistic energies. I went for a Quantum Touch weekend in Jan 2009, attended a Chakra workshop the following month, and in the last 16 months, have learnt and been convinced in energy work with QT and with crystals.

You see, last night as I sat down to prepare for my last shift of the week, I ached. I ached mentally, I ached physically, and I felt just absolutely wretched. Now, I typically will QT for a clean, smooth shift before I start work and I do get it. I even submitted a testimonial for Bernadette. But last night, as I sat there with 5 minutes to shift start, I decided to combine the power of prayer, QT and my crystals.

Holy sh.... sorry, can't swear with this post. lol.

Guys, it worked.

I asked God to give me a clean, easy shift, I told him I was weary and bone tired, I asked him to be merciful and grant me a peaceful night, and I thanked him for the gifts of QT and crystal energy that he had inspired me to learn from, be open about and accepting of. Then I QTed for a quiet shift, fewer calls, peaceful night. And I always QT for work with my crystals in hand.

He heard me, oh boy he heard me. My calls were clean and short, my callers were pleasant and agreeable, my colleague didn't encounter anything she needed help with, our systems and PCs co-operated, and I got a chance to nap for about 3 hours. Unbelievable. In terms of quantifiable call volume, approximately about 30% less than a typical Sat night.

In case you guys are wondering if I'd turned into a religious nut-job, no.

My belief system currently acknowledges that there IS a supreme being. This wonderous universe cannot have been wrought without the loving hand of someone above us all. This world we live on has been sculpted by someone who has given us everything we would ever want for (it's just up to us to ration and preserve carefully, but that is another story)

And since the Hogan's are a Catholic family, I choose to acknowledge this supreme being as God. I'm comfortable with that. I haven't stepped into a church for about 20 years but I try and say prayers of thanksgiving each time I go to bed. What was uncomfortable for my family was praying and using crystals at the same time. lol I remember that first time Dad crying "HOW DO YOU KNOW THE CRYSTALS AREN'T HEXED?" Heh. Sometimes, you just need a booster shot, y'know?

Here, let me show you :

My tourmalines : dravite (brown) on the left, schorl (black) on the right.

The chakra set I was gifted with during the workshop. From L-R :

Top : Amethyst, Blue Tigers Eye and Green Aventurine

Bottom : Citrine, Red Jasper, Orange Carnelian, Clear Quartz

(small moonstone on extreme top right is from a signature ring that broke eons back)

All the crystals in a small pouch, no longer than a plaster :) This is my daily activity pouch which I carry around with me at all times, The tourmalines are my protection stones, the rest grace me with their properties throughout the day.

I have never mentioned my crystals, really talked about them, until now. I guess I needed to be really really REALLY sure they work. But I have empirical proof. Enough to convince me this is all real. They work. They absolutely work. It's not some new-age thingie. It's an ages old practice across so many civilisations.

If you are skeptical, that's fine. For me, God gave us this earth to live on, he's graced us with wonderful fauna and flora to sustain us. He has ALSO given us the lifeblood of this planet, crystalized into various gorgeous colours and uses.

My very first stone was the black tourmaline : purchased out of desperation, needing something tangible against a very real fear. And.... I was going to say God.... ok, it works.... God's ways are indeed not ours. I needed to be nudged in this direction. Now whenever something funny happens in the office, it never happens in my immediate vicinity. It used to be much closer, even with a rosary at work too. Now? Always out of my personal space, out of my line of sight. Truly, we would be fools not to use what was gifted us. *I* would be a fool.

But that's just my personal opinion lol. I am empowered by my stones now; blessed, inspired and gifted by God. My my. I've come around to see this now, and I've journeyed a lot since my first baby steps at QT.

Forever thankful :D

PS I think I understand, in retrospect, why I was moved to share this with you all. I don't think I've ever had my prayers answered before, in such an immediate and effective manner. Wahey!