A lesson on the Small Things
I'm 26. In my 26 years of life, I have been so blessed to have experienced real life angels as I like to call them. Strangers doing things they might find ordinary, but to me they were extraordinary--the presence of God. I've been thinking of several of these people the past few months. I can vividly picture every single one of them. Where I was when I encountered them. I wish I could somehow reach out to them, tell them Thank You for being a bright spot in my dark times.
I have no idea who some of these people are.
No idea where life has taken them.
For someone who likes to show her appreciation and thanks, it pangs me I cannot do so for these individuals.
So I dedicate this blog to these angels. These people who are still able to warm my heart to this day. I wish I could remember all of them. I pray that I allow God to use me in the way He has used these people, and to never hesitate to lift someone up or kneel down to someone in need. Take that extra second to care for my neighbors.
Here are some of the amazing strangers that have entered my life and the stories behind them:
Falls Creek, 2005ish
This particular year I had gone to Falls Creek (A Christian summer camp in the boondocks of Oklahoma) as a sponsor. Things at home weren't that great. I was having a hard time dealing with a lot of hurt, pain, loneliness, feelings of being inadequate, and not loved. Most importantly I felt very alone. After the evening worship service we had some free time before we had to be in the cabin. By this time the stars had come out and it was pretty dark most everywhere. I decided to go sit on a ledge near the outdoor tabernacle. I just wanted to be alone. I was exhausted from putting on my happy face in front of every. I needed to silently disappear for a second. So I did. I sat there on a wooden ledge of some sort. A ledge that would prohibit people from falling down the side of the mountain. I looked out at the stars. The trees. The rolling hills in the distance. Feeling SO. ALONE. The pit in my stomach unbearable. I noticed a group of kids not far from me, laughing having a good time. I looked over -envious-, then continued to look into the vast glory of nature in front of me.
A short while went by. All of a sudden I noticed a shadow coming towards me. This young man just plopped down right beside me like he was my best friend. With such confidence he didn't feel like he needed to ask if he was interrupting or introduce himseld he simplu blurted out "What are you lookin' at?"...so we small talked for a moment. I don't remember how we got to the next point(I think he might have asked if I was okay or something)....but, before I know it I'm spilling my life to him and crying like a big baby.
Before I know it, this stranger kid, who left his laughing friends, lifted his hand ever so gently and wiped the tears falling down my face with his own hand. LIKE IN A MOVIE!? No one before, and no one since has done so. He sat there with me, in silence until I was ok. Composed. Not sobbing. For a moment, I didn't feel so alone. He muttered something encouraging then gave me a hug and went back with his friends.
My mind was blown. That single moment in my life has remained with me, and out of all the strangers in my life, he would be the one my thanks goes out to the most.
I needed that more than air at that moment in my life. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. I can only pray that he continues to use his gift of empathy with others in his life.
Dusty's Jewlery Store, Sometime during college
At around the same point in life dealing with the same struggles I found myself in Dusty's. Dusty's is a girl's best friend. A store full of cheap jewelry from wall to wall in every color and style. I had gone in to just browse. As I was looking at a wall of earrings I noticed a little girl, around age 4-5, and her grandmother walk in. The grandmother greeted some of her friends, and said to the little girl "Are you going to give so-n-so a hug?" this beautiful little girl got a huge smile on her face and hugged her grandmother's friends. This all took place around 20 feet from me. I glanced over gave an "Oh that was cute" smirk, and continued to browse. In my lil depressed head of mine I thought to myself "I could really use a hug right now too". Almost instantaneously, this little girl who I've never seen in my life for no reason what so ever RUNS to me while exclaiming to her Grandmother "I'm gonna hug her too!". She wrapped her arms so tight around my legs and gave me the best hug ever!
I needed that hug. I needed that hug more than anything in that moment. I wish that I could tell her that. I wish that I could tell her God used her in a big way that day! I pray that she never feels the pain that I felt which she helped to soothe.
I have so many more people to thank, my camp counselor at Centrifuge who told me I was beautiful and was so nice and genuine towards me, the "regular" at Atlanta Bread Company where I worked in college who gave me $20 bucks before he moved to Alaska for work and told me to have a nice dinner and that he appreciated me, the little girl who randomly came up to me at a park one day and asked me if I was ok, and all the others I can't think of right now.
Thank You.
I'll never forget you.
I hope I can make an impact on stranger's lives like you have made on mine.
