Happy Christmas Dear Reader,
I wonder how often I succeed in something I do consciously but try to do quietly. I wonder how often someone else truly benefits from my actions. Let me set the scene for you.
I am at the grocery store. It is Friday afternoon and I am about half way through my shopping. I am in the canned vegetable isle and apparently, so is everyone else at the store. I need four cans of petite diced tomatoes. It is on my list and happily the price is lower than I had anticipated. There is a lady standing in front of the petite diced tomatoes reading the label of a can crushed tomatoes. Her heavily laden cart is turned sideways in the isle allowing no one to pass.
I watch as the population of the grocery store descends into an angry mob. No one says a word but I can see angry glances exchanged by the harried and blocked shoppers. The lady continues to quietly delve the mysteries of crushed tomatoes, oblivious to the building storm of impatience around her.
The man behind me with nine gallons of milk and seventeen boxes of cereal begins to grumble. The attractive young mom with two chattering youngsters in her car screeches to a halt just short of the three people in front of her. When she curses under her breath, the elder child scolds her saying, “you told us not to talk like daddy.” I barely contain my laughter.
I am sure the throng on isle seven is about to produce farm implements and torches. I focus on the woman and quietly begin to sing. The song is obscure to most but the melody is ancient and draws the spirit toward it. I can sing well enough to not cause harm so I up the volume just a little. I pour all the kindness and patience I can into the gentle strains of the song.
The woman looks up at the trolley traffic jam, smiles uncomfortably, and moves on down the aisle freeing her herd of harried shoppers. She meets my eyes as we pass and pleads a self conscious “sorry.”
I smile back and whisper, “No worries, I am not in a hurry at all.” She smiles, embarrassed and moves along to complete her shopping.
About thirty minutes later I am finished with my list and head for the checkout line. In front of me is Ms. Crushed Tomatoes. Just as she gets up to the register the clerk runs out of register tape. The young girl running the register looks around for another roll and finds none. So very concerned she meets Ms. Tomatoes eye and squeaks, “I have to get more tape. Be right back.”
I immediately begin to hum the same tune. Ms. Tomatoes turns at the sound and smiles at me. After two minutes, each comprised of about seventy two thousand seconds the young cashier returns. She apologizes again whilst loading the tape. To my joyful surprise Crushed (after that smile I feel we are on a first name basis) responds to the girl, “No worries, I am not in a hurry at all.”
The nervous girl lights up with a beaming smile and begins to ring up Crushed Tomatoes’ groceries. They chat and both are feeling pleasant as she departs.
It is so easy to choose to be patient with each other whilst pursuing our errands. When you go abroad to do your shopping, keep in mind that everyone has a schedule and things to accomplish. Give them all the priceless gift of your patience and deference. You will make a difference.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
I wonder how often I succeed in something I do consciously but try to do quietly. I wonder how often someone else truly benefits from my actions. Let me set the scene for you.
I am at the grocery store. It is Friday afternoon and I am about half way through my shopping. I am in the canned vegetable isle and apparently, so is everyone else at the store. I need four cans of petite diced tomatoes. It is on my list and happily the price is lower than I had anticipated. There is a lady standing in front of the petite diced tomatoes reading the label of a can crushed tomatoes. Her heavily laden cart is turned sideways in the isle allowing no one to pass.I watch as the population of the grocery store descends into an angry mob. No one says a word but I can see angry glances exchanged by the harried and blocked shoppers. The lady continues to quietly delve the mysteries of crushed tomatoes, oblivious to the building storm of impatience around her.
The man behind me with nine gallons of milk and seventeen boxes of cereal begins to grumble. The attractive young mom with two chattering youngsters in her car screeches to a halt just short of the three people in front of her. When she curses under her breath, the elder child scolds her saying, “you told us not to talk like daddy.” I barely contain my laughter.
I am sure the throng on isle seven is about to produce farm implements and torches. I focus on the woman and quietly begin to sing. The song is obscure to most but the melody is ancient and draws the spirit toward it. I can sing well enough to not cause harm so I up the volume just a little. I pour all the kindness and patience I can into the gentle strains of the song.
The woman looks up at the trolley traffic jam, smiles uncomfortably, and moves on down the aisle freeing her herd of harried shoppers. She meets my eyes as we pass and pleads a self conscious “sorry.”
I smile back and whisper, “No worries, I am not in a hurry at all.” She smiles, embarrassed and moves along to complete her shopping.
About thirty minutes later I am finished with my list and head for the checkout line. In front of me is Ms. Crushed Tomatoes. Just as she gets up to the register the clerk runs out of register tape. The young girl running the register looks around for another roll and finds none. So very concerned she meets Ms. Tomatoes eye and squeaks, “I have to get more tape. Be right back.”
I immediately begin to hum the same tune. Ms. Tomatoes turns at the sound and smiles at me. After two minutes, each comprised of about seventy two thousand seconds the young cashier returns. She apologizes again whilst loading the tape. To my joyful surprise Crushed (after that smile I feel we are on a first name basis) responds to the girl, “No worries, I am not in a hurry at all.”
The nervous girl lights up with a beaming smile and begins to ring up Crushed Tomatoes’ groceries. They chat and both are feeling pleasant as she departs.
It is so easy to choose to be patient with each other whilst pursuing our errands. When you go abroad to do your shopping, keep in mind that everyone has a schedule and things to accomplish. Give them all the priceless gift of your patience and deference. You will make a difference.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
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