Meeting People

       Little stories about people who touched my life this week.


       Last Sunday at the Orpheus Concert, one of the men sang as a solo, Mary Did You Know.  He was a little shaky starting  - this was his first time to solo - and hit a couple of wrong notes along the way but when he got to that last line: "This sleeping child you're holding is the great...I...AM",  his voice was strong and I got chills when he hit that last note.  Awesome!  A good analogy on making a commitment.  In any endeavor we start out 'shaky' and if we believe in what we're doing and like what we are doing, we only get stronger.  By the way, I downloaded Clay Aiken's version to my Christmas playlist because of Mr. Mueller's heartfelt rendition.
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            On Thursday, I had lunch with some of my classmates from the Academy of Our Lady Class of '54.  When I came in, I saw first a woman who has been in very ill health -  she has been on our prayer list - and it was so great to see her.   Good food and good conversation and when lunch was over, two members of the staff came and set up a ramp over the steps so that Marta could leave with her walker.  A lot of us, probably most of us, had two thoughts as we watched her leave:  1.  How great that she could be with us when she had been through so much and 2. How grateful we were that we are still able to negotiate life on our own.  It's the everyday things for which we are thankful.
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      I have not been able to find my good green shirt.  Have looked the house over, including the basement.  And then I thought maybe I took it to the cleaners.  So Friday, when I took my red coat to Starcrest, I asked the young man at the window, if he would check.  He said: "Yes, it's here,  Mrs. Mall, I saw it there just this week ".  I looked at him askance because he didn't  look familiar to me and so asked:  "How do you know who I am?"  He said he had worked at CEFCU in Sunnyland in the early 90s and when he had seen my name on the shirt's ticket, he remembered waiting on me there.  And then he said some nice things.  Isn't it interesting, what makes us remember a person.  The smallest thing, that we might do naturally -  without thought, can mean a lot to someone else.  By the way, the shirt had been there since September and Starcrest, FYI,  keeps items for a year.               
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      Last night, I picked up my friend, Phyllis, and we went to Mike and Laurie Hawley's annual Christmas Party.  Lovely evening.  This is really a good event, a good mix of people.  When we left, Mike walked us to the car, it was a little icey in front of the house and I thanked him again for his kindness to Vern.  Vern was in and out of the hospital  several times in the last couple of years.  Mike heads the Pharmacy at OSF, and everyday, he would pop his head in, ask how things were going, always had something to say that would make Vern smile.  Vern looked forward to his visits.  And towards the last, when our daughters were taking turns being with their dad around the clock, Mike would tease and joke with them as well.  God just puts the best people in our lives.  People who do things that keep life so rich.  How blessed we are.