Getting Noticed

My life has fallen into a predictable routine. And apparently the shopkeepers I frequent have noticed too.  I visited the dollar store one Saturday and was greeted with:

 

Has it been a week since you were here? You're early today; you're usually here later.

 

He said a few other things which I couldn't understand through his Asian accent but I'm sure they were complimentary since he was smiling. I certainly got the impression I am a valued customer.

 

After the dollar store I usually go on to the grocery store, sometimes stopping at the pharmacy. On different occasions I've had the pharmacist check the drawer for my Rx pick up even before I get to the counter and he'll say that he saw me coming. Saturday the technician started the customary routine of confirming the name but she stopped and said "oh I already know who you are!"

 

*****

 

My friend Joan told me about her last visit to The Symphony. It was close to the end of intermission and she was sure she would make it to the washroom and back before they started again. They have had the same front row seats for a decade.

 

Well, she didn't make it back in time so she waited until the first piece was finished and slid into her seat as nonchalantly as she could. The cellist leaned forward from the stage and said:

 

Where were you?

 

She doesn't know him personally and has never spoken with him before. But she figures he has seen them sitting in that same spot for a decade. We had a great laugh over getting noticed at the symphony. Joan has the best stories.

 

Being noticed is better than feeling invisible.

 

*****

 

A while back I stayed to pray after mass. A woman came up to me, introduced herself and asked me if my daughter was Frances. She told me that years ago she had been in a youth group meeting with Frances and they were asked to say who they admired most. Frances said she most admired her mother. The woman told me it had made such an impression on her and she hoped that one day her children would say the same thing about her.

 

*****

Last Sunday, my very good friend Joan called to tell me her very good friend had passed away unexpectedly the day before. I could hear the pain in Joan's voice as she described losing her friend. Helen had done everything right: she ate healthy, was fit and even taught aerobics classes yet she had been recently diagnosed with cancer and had just started chemo. The prognosis was good. She died of a suddenly of a heart attack. She was 56.  Joan had been planning to spend some time with Helen to keep her company as she recovered from the chemo. She was "saving her stories" to tell Helen. Like I said, Joan has the best stories.

 

There was a bit of goodhearted joking: it was said that Helen would really be babysitting Joan and may just close her eyes and pretend she was sleeping to avoid those stories. We both laughed. I had met Helen a few times and was really taken with her kindness. Joan said her life was better for having known Helen.

 

She had called Helen in those last few days just to see how she was doing. Joan said how important it is to act on the feelings we have to console and connect with someone. There are no wrong words of consolation.

 

The words we use to notice someone with kindness are always the right words.

 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

~~ Psalm 23:6

Reading: Sunday, April 3