Acts of Random Kindness
It's been quite a crazy few days. After numerous complications Alisa finally made it to Texas and is working with the RC Team doing disaster response work.
Things have been crazy at home getting the kids where they need to go, keeping up with the laundry, house cleaning, meals and trying to study. (Don't know how single parents do it?)
I have class today @ 1:30. I arrived at McAlister's Deli around noon to have one of their incredible pot roast spuds, and study using their wireless internet. Studying has been a challenge all weekend long, my mind has just not "been there". Too many other things happening at once.
I now had some time to just dive in, (to both the spud and the studying.) I finished my spud, and moved the plate to the other side of the table. A few minutes later a lovely African American lady in a McAlister's shirt came by, looked at me for approval and took the plate away. I didn't give it a second thought.
A little while later, she approached again. She reached for my near empty large glass of sweet tea. When she did not speak but rather looked at me questioningly, and made a little noise, I realized that she was deaf & mute. Taken by surprise, I nodded for more. She pulled out a little pad from her pocket. Written on a wrinkled page were the words "sweet or unsweet." I pointed to the sweet. As she walked away, I pondered the encounter. Years ago as a teenager, I took a course in sign language. Later my skills were expanded a little with a friend and collegue I was on staff with at a church. However, it had been years since I had used sign.
I had only seconds to decide if I should give it a try. My vocabulary was rusty, and I decided to use the word sweet as an opening to communicate with her. When she returned, I began to sign, "I know a little sign, but what is 'sweet'". Her face suddenly beamed with shock and pleasure. She smiled widely. Her response let me know that placing my hand to my lips and directing it down was the correct sign for sweet. Then she asked me with quick hands, where I learned to sign. I explained half signing half finger spelling (drat my old mind) that I had learned as a boy.
She beamed again. She started to walk off, but turned back to me and with a huge smile, gave me the sign for "thank you". It was my turn to beam.
Often I get so busy doing life, I forget to live life. Part of living life involves those little moments some call "devine appointments." Times when God wants to use us to act randomly with grace and kindness to impact in small and large ways, people he puts in our path.
I have a new perspective as I get ready to leave and head to class. I feel a bit lighter. It's a good feeling to make someone else's day!
Kell
It's been quite a crazy few days. After numerous complications Alisa finally made it to Texas and is working with the RC Team doing disaster response work.
Things have been crazy at home getting the kids where they need to go, keeping up with the laundry, house cleaning, meals and trying to study. (Don't know how single parents do it?)
I have class today @ 1:30. I arrived at McAlister's Deli around noon to have one of their incredible pot roast spuds, and study using their wireless internet. Studying has been a challenge all weekend long, my mind has just not "been there". Too many other things happening at once.
I now had some time to just dive in, (to both the spud and the studying.) I finished my spud, and moved the plate to the other side of the table. A few minutes later a lovely African American lady in a McAlister's shirt came by, looked at me for approval and took the plate away. I didn't give it a second thought.
A little while later, she approached again. She reached for my near empty large glass of sweet tea. When she did not speak but rather looked at me questioningly, and made a little noise, I realized that she was deaf & mute. Taken by surprise, I nodded for more. She pulled out a little pad from her pocket. Written on a wrinkled page were the words "sweet or unsweet." I pointed to the sweet. As she walked away, I pondered the encounter. Years ago as a teenager, I took a course in sign language. Later my skills were expanded a little with a friend and collegue I was on staff with at a church. However, it had been years since I had used sign.
I had only seconds to decide if I should give it a try. My vocabulary was rusty, and I decided to use the word sweet as an opening to communicate with her. When she returned, I began to sign, "I know a little sign, but what is 'sweet'". Her face suddenly beamed with shock and pleasure. She smiled widely. Her response let me know that placing my hand to my lips and directing it down was the correct sign for sweet. Then she asked me with quick hands, where I learned to sign. I explained half signing half finger spelling (drat my old mind) that I had learned as a boy.
She beamed again. She started to walk off, but turned back to me and with a huge smile, gave me the sign for "thank you". It was my turn to beam.
Often I get so busy doing life, I forget to live life. Part of living life involves those little moments some call "devine appointments." Times when God wants to use us to act randomly with grace and kindness to impact in small and large ways, people he puts in our path.
I have a new perspective as I get ready to leave and head to class. I feel a bit lighter. It's a good feeling to make someone else's day!
Kell
No comments:
Post a Comment