Virginia Mason Medical Center

My Shoes

I LOVE SHOES.

I have at least five different pairs in my office at any given time. Each pair has its own unique and distinctive purpose in my life. My three-inch pumps allow me to appear taller than my 5-foot, zero height so that I can stand up tall when representing my staff. My white nursing shoes are for when I work the floor, side-by-side with the nurses, taking care of patients and keeping my nursing skills sharp. The well worn flats are for running through the halls when I'm late for a meeting. There are my comfy,"I don't care who sees me in these" shoes, and lastly my "power" shoes. You know the ones. They make you believe that you can do anything if you only believe strongly enough about it.

I change my shoes as circumstances dictate, and have been known to kick off one pair and put on another in the blink of an eye. By the end of the day,my office looks like the Neiman Marcus shoe department after a really great sale. There are shoes everywhere!

Each evening as I would leave the office, I'd look at the shoes on the floor and think to myself,"I'll straighten them up in the morning." Off went the light as I headed home. In the morning, however, I would open my office door and surprisingly my shoes would be lined up, standing perfectly at attention, against the wall. Finding this every morning filled my heart and somehow left me feeling cared for and special. Of course,my office was always vacuumed and my trash emptied, but it was the sight of those perfectly arranged shoes that spoke volumes to me and validated my own sense of self worth.

Then one day, my shoe fairy stopped coming. My trash remained overflowing and my shoes just as I left them, like some forlorn victims of a fierce storm that had rolled through my office. Several weeks went by before I had the opportunity to inquire about the sweet woman who cared for me through caring for my shoes.

She had retired. I was sad that I didn't realize that she was leaving and that I hadn't ever properly acknowledged her for how she enhanced my life. I was disappointed in myself for never having told her how remarkable her simple acts of kindness made me feel.

I still don't know her name, but I want to acknowledge her now as representative of the many, many people who make up the Virginia Mason Team … people who in their daily work touch the lives of patients, friends, family members, and one another. I am very proud to be part of this organization. Thank you for the privilege.

Rowena S. Ponischil, RN, MSN
Nurse Manager
Virginia Mason Medical Center

EDITOR'S NOTE: Crothall Housekeeper Helga Rhodes was Rowena's "shoe fairy." The two recently had the opportunity to meet, with Rowena thanking Helga personally for the special way that she cared for her clients over the years.