I Saw God

It’s the Holiday Season and Christmas is right around the corner! I really love this time of year because I get to spend a lot more time with my family, eat great big, wonderful meals, and exchange gifts with people I love and care about. But also at this time of year, I tend to look at… and see things a little differently.

We lost several family members in the past two years due to cancer and covid. So my focus on the important things in life, like friends and family, and people in general, is now heightened. Maybe it’s my age, but I don’t want to take anyone for granted, ever again, because I know I have. So these days, when I am with someone I try to look them straight in the eye. I want them to see that I am connecting with them and that I am listening to them. People want to be “seen”, so I make it point to let them know that they are “seen” by me, and that they matter to me.

Funny thing is, the more I look at the world around me and the people that are in it, the more I see God. In fact, I saw God the other day when I witnessed a friend of mine donate a kidney to a complete stranger. I saw God when I noticed my son was picking up stray trash off the ground and throwing it away. I saw God when I witnessed my wife working for hours in the kitchen, preparing to host our “Family Baking Day”. Last night I saw God when my granddaughter crawled up next to me on the couch and ask me to read her “Riddles for Kids” book with her. And I especially saw God last week when a homeless man who was really upset, approached me because he lost his backpack with all of his clothes in it. And I felt God speak to me and suggest I give him the coat off my back. And I for sure saw God when I watched a brilliant, orange sunrise burst over the top of Saddleback Mountain earlier this morning. I am pretty sure God is everywhere… if we just make the effort to see Him!

     “And that’s the real meaning of Christmas – Charlie Brown!”

Burger Queen

I admit I have a few bad habits and one of them is that I love to eat hot dogs and hamburgers. Somehow it’s just been programmed into me over time. And what makes it really bad is that I am constantly on the road, so I tend to go to a lot of fast-food restaurants where the food is probably not all that healthy. But hey, there are worse things in this world.

Lately, when I’ve gone to fast-food places I’ve been extremely disappointed. There is no longer a human being at the counter to take your order. Instead you have to go up to a machine and try to punch the right buttons to get your food order placed. It doesn’t work well and the last time I tried it, the machine didn’t work at all. So I went up to the counter and stood there for over 5 minutes waiting for help. A line started to form behind me and after 10 minutes, I gave up and left telling the people behind me, “I quit, and I think the people that work here must have quit too!”

Last week, I went to a Wienerschnitzel Restaurant and was greeted at the drive thru by an “AI” person. Or maybe “person” isn’t the right word. I think it’s actually called “Chatbot”, and I have to say that the “Chatbot” actually did a good job of taking my order. But driving away, I felt more like I had just bought a sandwich from a vending machine rather than buying lunch at a restaurant. I know it sounds stupid, but I miss the “human” interaction.

But yesterday was different! I needed to wash up after working, so I stopped at the McDonalds off of Lake Forest Drive and went inside. I was greeted with a big smile and a friendly hello from an older lady behind the counter. (I say older, but what I really mean is someone my age.) She took my order right away, asked me the appropriate questions, and really seemed to enjoy her job. After I paid and glanced down at my dirty hands, I started towards the restroom. She said, “I will keep your drink cup here for you for when you come back.” Just a small thing, but she was doing her best to be extra helpful and considerate. And when I got my food and was leaving, she said with a warm smile, “Drive safe” and “I hope you have a great day”. Funny thing is, I believe she meant it!

Those seemingly ordinary moments when we care enough to notice the needs of others and do what we can to brighten someone’s day… are not ordinary at all. And I definitely don’t think we can program a Chatbot to do that!

Kindness can be the greatest gift that you can give a person. 

Especially when they are not expecting it.

 ~ Anonymous

The Invisible Man

I stopped and just stood still for a moment. The visible world around me was spinning like crazy! Hundreds of people going places, popping into restaurants, shopping for Christmas presents, buying groceries, filling up their cars with gas, and busy… so very, very busy.

It’s a typical Saturday morning in December in the city of Irvine. I am at a large Retail Shopping Center simply doing my job inspecting parking lot light poles for corrosion. I’m pushing a heavy tool cart loaded with a bright array of equipment, including hand tools, an impact driver, and a sophisticated and expensive Ultrasonic Thickness Gage Machine. I am even wearing a bright yellow safety vest. But yet, I am invisible.

I will be working for 6 straight hours today and hundreds of people will walk by me, jog by me, or drive by me, (sometimes way too close) and not ever truly notice me. They are too busy, and rightfully so, because for most people the Holiday Season is the busiest time of the year. But I do exist, I am a real person, and before the day is over, hopefully I will be seen… and not run over!

And then there appeared this cleaning lady. She was pushing a heavy roll cart loaded with cleaning supplies, and like me was wearing a yellow safety vest. As we passed on the sidewalk, she gave me a smile, and I waved back with an enthusiastic, “Good morning!” About an hour later, I was approached by a security guard, also in a yellow vest. He asked me what I was doing, I explained and asked him how his day was going. He responded with one word, “Busy”. Later, as I got to the perimeter of the property, I came across a landscaper, also wearing a yellow vest, diligently spreading mulch in the planter. He was working hard pushing a very heavy wheelbarrow, and never looked up at me until I was right next to him. I told him the planters looked so much nicer, and he smiled at that comment. I think he mostly smiled because a stranger took time to notice him.

When I got home from work and sat down for dinner, my wife made an interesting observation. She said, “What I like about you is that you “connect” with people. You take time to look them in the eye and listen to them. People need that and appreciate it!” First, I am really glad there is at least one thing she likes about me. Second,  it’s not always true! Too many times I have ignored the waiter who filled my iced tea before it was even empty, the gardener who kept my yard trimmed during the hot summer months, and the mailman who delivered my mail like clockwork six days a week all year long.

You know that old saying, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.” It’s true because busy people usually figure out how to get things done. So from now on, I am going to be that busy guy… who figures out how to get things done… like turning the invisible into visible!

The Invisible Man

You’ll never get more attention from people than when you are listening to them.

                                                                                  ~ Robert Brault