Some people think today, December 21, 2012 is the beginning of the end. I sure hope not. There is still too much to experience and appreciate. Plus, I really did finish my Christmas shopping and some people would miss out on some really cool gifts.
There has been a lot of senseless tragedy lately in the news. Many people have felt the sadness but also feel an increased sense of fear and disgust at mankind. There are plenty of bad people, but let's not forget the world is filled with even more good, kind, loving and generous people.
This past week I went to the mall in a mad dash to get my Christmas shopping done. On a whim, I decided to stop at Auntie Ann's for a pretzel and some of their delicious lemonade. The line was terribly long, but hey, it's worth it, isn't it?
As I stood in the long line, a man lined up behind me. He told his friend he was going to get a pretzel then meet him in the Barnes and Noble. After an eternity in line, he asked me if there were any other pretzel stands in the mall. No, I replied, and anyway, Auntie Ann's is worth the wait I said.
We started to talk and he shared he wasn't from the Richmond area. Being very vague about where he WAS from, he started to share his story with me. He had lived in New York but now travelled the country prospecting and was just in town visiting his friend. As it turns out, he had been a very successful housing contractor in New York but when his marriage failed and the business started to falter, he sold everything and started to travel. As he said, he's too young to call it retired but "he's living the dream".
I was fascinated with his story. We stepped up, I ordered and then advised him of what he should get. He kept talking after the order came up. I noticed an empty table right next to us so I asked him if he wanted to sit with me. Sure, he said with a smile, talking the whole time. It became evident he just needed someone to listen to him as he shared all of the life revelations he's had since starting his new adventure. That was one of the most interesting and heartfelt conversations I've had in a very long time. In the span of about 20 minutes, he relayed his joys, sorrows, revelations, hopes and dreams. He's thought about forgiveness, the meaning of life and how to find true purpose in his life. When his friend approached, he stood and said "by the way, I'm Ken". I shook his hand and wished him well. This guy really made my day.
Believe it or not, on the way home I stopped at the pharmacy and had yet another experience of beauty. There was a little girl, maybe age four or five, dressed in her pretty red Christmas dress. She was waiting with her grandma for her pictures with Santa to develop. I asked her what presents she had asked for and she replied something I couldn't understand. The lady next to me said "that's a video game". OH, I replied. The grandma then said, "She had first asked for new guitar strings earlier and it made me choke back tears". As she said this, I looked and saw the fairly new, still red, stub where the little girls left arm had once been. She struggled to put her Santa hat back on and succeeded. I smiled at her and said "I'll bet Santa brings you some great presents". She smiled shyly right back at me and I thought, wow, this kid really is an inspiration, and for some reason, I think she WILL play that guitar one day.
One other story I would like to share is that not once, but twice, in the span of three weeks, my daughter has misplaced her money. The first time was her entire paycheck she had just cashed for her rent, to the tune of several hundred dollars, and the other happened yesterday, when she left her purse at the Jimmy Johns in the Chesterfield Mall. Lucky for her, the very honest property manager of her apartment complex found her envelope of cash in the parking lot and returned it. To say that we were shocked is an understatement. It would have been so easy for someone to find it and keep it. That woman didn't make it on the news for her moral actions, but her honesty is amazing. What of the purse? Well, several hours after realizing her purse was missing, she called Jimmy Johns and told them her Mom would stop by to pick it up after work. She asked the girl if there was any of her money or credit cards left and the girl replied she only saw receipts and lip gloss. Alex was devastated.
When I arrived, I asked again, "is all the money gone?"
I felt so bad for Alex because her Christmas money from family was in there. To my surprise, the girl said "There's an envelope with some money in there". Sure enough, her credit cards and cash were once again intact. Unbelievable! Whoever returned the purse and to the Jimmy John's staff who could have pilfered it, thank you for your honesty.
When you stop and think about all the people who generously volunteer their time and talents with children, animals, elderly, homeless, disabled and ill people you begin to remember there IS kindness and love in this world. When you're short a dime at the checkout and a stranger promptly offers one, there is generosity. When you or your family has a medical scare and a friend sits patiently by your side, there is love. When a traumatic disaster occurs and complete strangers offer any type of help they can give, there is compassion. Yes, this world is filled with good people.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace, love, hope and happiness!
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