Script: Guided Imagery

Imagine getting up very early one m orning in October because you have to leave for work by 7:40. If you have children you have to wash, dress, feed them and get them to the nearby baby sitter. Imagine that all the arrangements are in place and you have done this many times. You must eat something. Do you just have coffee and toast or what? You pack a lunch. You will be eating out of your lunch box. What do you take? Sandwiches? What kind? Fruit? Cookies? Maybe something left over from dinner. You have to fill a thermos with something to drink on the job. What will it be? Do you want some extra fruit or a snack for coffee break? Some days the coffee truck visits the site. Do you have some money? Where will you carry it? There are no purses on site.

You will be working hard out-of-doors in the weather. It's time to get dressed. Warm clothing. If it is rainy you need some layers so only the outer layers get wet. If it is warm you have to decide what you'll strip down to as you get warm. Will you wear just a T-shirt and bra? T-shirt and sweatshirt? How bold are you feeling today? Will you wear the baggy jeans or the ones that fit? How have the men on this job been? Any comments so far? Is this the day for clean clothes or will the dirty ones from yesterday last another day? If it is cold you need a jacket you can work in. Maybe you also take some gloves. Have you got a pair of wool gloves with no fingers or a pair of leather ones? Maybe you think you can manage with no gloves at all. You save your steel-toed work boots to put on as you're leaving the house. You just put a new coat of silicone on them last night so they'll keep you dry. Your hard hat, safety goggles and toolbox are at the site. If you live in rainy country your rain gear is also at the site. Okay, you're ready.

About half an hour later you park near the work site. You are building an apartment building. You are doing form construction which is the same work over and over for each floor. You go to the shack set aside for the carpenters. This is not your first day at this site but it is your first week. You have worked other sites and know a couple of the guys. There are about 20 carpenters altogether. There are also other men from other trades and some labourers. You get your rain gear, hard hat and toolbox.

Other workers are arriving. Some are talking about the game on TV last night or the news. Do you greet them? What do you say? One guy says, "Hi sweet-heart." How do you feel? Everyone sits waiting for the time to begin. Some drink their coffee. One guy says, "Tomorrow's the concrete pour, what's the weather forecast?" Various answers are offered. The man you have been assigned to work with shows up. You yawn and he says, "What were YOU doing last night?" How do you feel? Do you answer him? Somebody looks at his watch and says, "Time." People begin to leave.

You go back to the place you were working yesterday. Your partner says, "I'll set up the saw if you'll go get the material." You agree. There isn't a lot of talk. You refer to the foreman's diagrams and comment to each other about what needs to be done.

You don't find the work difficult and you are familiar with all the steps. You enjoy the feeling of being out-of-doors. You feel the wind on your face and since you are now above the ground floor you enjoy the view. When you look up from work you can see the people and cars going by down below.

On the coffee break, your partner asks, "So what made you become a carpenter anyway?" This question has been asked of you many times. What do you say? When you are finished, he just nods. How do you feel?

You carry sheets of plywood to where you and your partner are working, then bring two loads of two by fours. Your body feels good because you are using it. It feels efficient. Your muscles are strong. You enjoy the feel of the hammer in your hand. You like having your tool belt around your waist with everything you need handy. You like the feel and smell of the wood. There's the smell of wet wood when you cut it, the sound when you drive nails. You are feeling whole this morning. Yesterday you successfully built a difficult comer and you made a column, which you had never done before. You are doing work that will last forever. You also feel part of the crew and they seem like a pretty friendly crew. This is work your body likes. Everything seems pretty good.

On the other hand you are especially alert this morning and watchful about the dangers. Just yesterday a guy fell and sprained his ankle badly. There is always danger. When you step backwards you notice where you put your feet. When you pick up the saw you ask yourself, "Where are my fingers?"

Take a moment and imagine the rest of the day. You start to feel tired. You are looking forward to quitting for the day. Maybe you have kids and dinner to deal with when you get home.

Try to imagine yourself that night just before you fall asleep. What are your thoughts and feelings?

It is time to come back to here and now. Take your time. You may want to wiggle your fingers or stretch a little. When you are ready open your eyes. Welcome back.

- Evelyn Battell
(with inspiration and help from Kate Braid)