Four Small Threads In a Tapestry
As the years roll by, I notice that every human interaction, especially the ones we take the time to notice, are important to our Creator. They each generate “threads” of differing colors to create a tapestry of life. Some of those threads may be dark, due to a frightening or sad encounter, while others may be vivid and bright, denoting happiness, joy or excitement. I would challenge all who read this to take a moment a few times a week to turn off technology and just observe the human beings around you. Whether it’s a fellow shopper in your grocery store, a group of kids tossing a football in your neighborhood, or an elderly couple enjoying each other’s company in a nearby café, you will notice something interesting if you just look.
- He Had Just One Job
A couple of months ago, I was walking my neighborhood one morning before parking myself at my desk for the workday. It was early and I wore earbuds to listen to a daily podcast I enjoy. As I made the final turn down the last leg of my typical route, I noticed a townhome door swing open about 25 yards in front of me. Out stepped a tall young man, likely 14 or 15, clad only in his boxer shorts. I kept walking and thought “Kid, you need to put some clothes on.”
As I drew to within about 7 yards of the door, I thought I heard him say something. I touched the earbuds to pause the podcast and asked, “Did you say something?” He asked, “Did the bus come yet?” I replied, “Hmm, I think there are two every morning, right?” He answered, “The one with the little kids.” I thought for a second and said, “Yeah, I did see one with the red lights flashing, right before I turned down this street.” I heard an audible sigh and he said “Okay. Thanks.”
As I walked away, I realized what had happened. This guy had been given ONE job that morning by his working mom and/or dad: get little brother/sister on the bus before you get on your own bus. As his sleep-filled countenance suggested, he had apparently overslept his alarm and missed fulfilling that task. I smiled as I kept walking towards home, thinking of the phone call this young man was about to make to mom/dad to explain why he didn’t get his younger sibling(s) on their bus. Chalk it up as a character-building experience for him.
2. She Covered Both Her Dog’s Ears
In most, if not all, Georgia counties there is a monthly test of the tornado warning siren system. I had the misfortune of being directly underneath one such siren a few years ago in my previous county, and I remember that it shook most of the bones in my body.
So, on November 1 of this year, I was outside in my driveway doing a rowing machine workout just before noon. (Noon on the first Wednesday of every month is when these tests occur.) In my current county, there is a loud male voice projected from the siren speakers, which is worse than the sirens themselves. It sounds like the voice of God Himself, causing one to think “Just a second, Jesus, I know I have at least one more prayer of repentance before you take me away.”
On this day, I heard the voice, was startled for just a second, then remembered the date and time. I kept rowing. I noticed a young lady, maybe mid-late 20s, walking her something-doodle dog in front of me (I can’t keep up with the breed combos. It may have been a labradoodle?). In any case, I saw her stop for a second and touch her own earbuds, likely pausing her music stream. Then, after listening and looking around for a second, the sirens started their test. This young lady bent down and covered her dog’s ears! She put her hands over the dog’s ears, pushing them against the head, providing some modicum of protection for the dog’s sensitive hearing. I think the dog appreciated this, and I gave a mental head nod to the young lady for her actions.
3. Three Card Players
About two months ago, I visited a local liquor store to buy a small bottle of whiskey. I stood in line behind 3 similarly aged women, all older than me. My memory may fail me, but I think one had a bottle of Tito’s vodka, and another had gin, and the third may have grasped a bottle of schnapps.
As the proprietor worked to ring up his customers, the first lady in line noticed, and grabbed, an alcoholic jello shot package from the counter, turning to her co-conspirators and saying “Oh, look! You could have this and no one in the office would even know!”. The woman in front of me turned around, and I looked at her and said “ You are a mess”. She then said, with a smirk, “That one in the front…she’s a preacher’s wife”. I then said, “ You all are a HOT MESS”.
I saw them outside in the parking lot, after their purchase, a bit giggly. I wondered about their canasta or bridge game. I doubt any of them would be able to keep score after thirty minutes or so.
4. Four Pocket Knives
Ten years ago I worked for a county government in a procurement function. One day a team of us visited a county about an hour away from ours to participate in a demo of a records management software solution. As part of the demo, we toured several departments and agencies scattered across several buildings around the town square.
The last place we toured before our lunch break was the courthouse. As per usual in Georgia, the county Sheriff had responsibility for court security. As we approached the metal detectors, a colleague and I both realized we had knives in our pockets. My colleague asked the deputy sheriff if we could pass, since we were employees of a large reputable county. We were told the Sheriff didn’t allow any exceptions except for law enforcement, so we had to go store them somewhere else while inside the courthouse.
I looked down the street and noticed that my car was parked the closest. I offered to take my Swiss Army knife and my colleague’s knife to my car until after the demo. So, I held out my hand, expecting to have a knife fall into it.
I caught all three of his knives. Another colleague saw my hand, now full of knives, and asked “What the heck?!” I pointed to my small red knife and said “the rest are his” as I motioned to my colleague.
He smiled and pointed to one knife and said “Well, that’s my grandpa’s knife. I always carry it, for sentimental reasons”. Then he pointed to the second and said “Well, that’s my apple-peeling knife. I only use it when I eat an apple”.
Another colleague just looked, waiting for the final answer.
My knife brother looked at the third, shrugged and said “That one? That’s just my plain old pocket knife”.
