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Showing posts from January, 2018

Side By Side

A past memory surfaced this week of when I worked in sales, specifically when I sold a home to Katherine.  Of all the sales and all the homes, Katherine stands out and for a good reason. I stood by her side that bright autumn afternoon when Katherine’s singlewide manufactured home, with a few upgrades, rolled on to her moderate patch of land on a cul-de-sac close to the major interstate.  Katherine could not contain her excitement when the truckers turned the corner on to her street.  You see, this home was her first.  She saved to get it and her pride of ownership spilled on to me.  I still remember her words like it happened yesterday.  She expressed her feeling as “blessed beyond her dreams.”  She couldn’t wait to move in and decorate her humble home and make it her own.  Katherine told me she wanted to do something for me.  She wanted to reward me for all the hard work to make her dream come true. “It’s really not necessary, Katherine.  But if you’re in the neighborhoo

Guys in Pink Ties

How is it ever possible to be unified when people are so different? A physical therapist at the hospital, whom I will call Ramon, entered my room for the second time that day.  He commented favorably about my pink t-shirt I changed into after the nurse removed my I.V.  He told me all about his pink tie!  Ramon placed a strap around my waist, rolled my walker in front of me and off we went for an afternoon stroll throughout the hospital.   Like old friends, we talked about everything.  We shared jokes, funny stories about our families and Ramon listened intently when I told him about the inspirational devotional I read that morning.  In turn, he responded with a story for me to chew on as well.  Time flew and my knee reminded me it was time to get back to my room. Ramon scribbled notes on my patient chart and pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket.  He showed me a photo of him wearing a bright pink tie with a matching handkerchief in his suit jacket pocket.  Clearly

How to Outshine

Every now and then someone comes into my life and mysteriously shines sweet kindness on my day.  The cashier at Walmart deserves a benevolence award.  Amy, who has a big heart to please, asked me what she can bring to spruce up my post-op recovery days.  My throat, parched from anesthesia paraphernalia, longed for cold, sweet comfort.  My bedroom end-table collected water bottles and lozenges but I wanted something fun like a Popsicle or ice-cold fruit bar.  Good ole Amy grabbed two boxes of Outshine Fruit Bars in the freezer aisle at Walmart but when she went to pay for them, she realized she left her wallet in the purse she switched out that morning.  Embarrassed, she glanced at the cashier and offered to return them to the freezer aisle.  The cashier insisted she keep them.  “I will pay for them,” she said.  “You can reimburse me the next time you’re in the store.” Amy returned in record time with cash in hand.  She wasn’t about to take advantage of the dear lady