serendiptous encounters

"An Angel can illumine the thought and mind of man
by strengthening the power of vision,
and by bringing within his reach some truth
which the Angel himself contemplates."

St. Thomas Aquinas, The Bliss of the Way.

This morning, I tripped over serendipity in the local Irving gas station/convenience store of all places. I arrived there to quickly grab a tea and a morning paper but ended up having a long heart to heart with the woman who gets up early to make the muffins. Usually friendly and upbeat.....often eccentrically outgoing in a charming way, she is the reason why I continue to stop at this locale. Often, she greets me with a "hideee ho hello" and a compliment on what I'm wearing or something while offering me a warm banana muffin for the road.

Our encounters are usually short and sweet but exhuberant...... to a point where some of the introverts who work with her visibly cringe with embarrassment. I love her zip because it brings the zip out in me. This morning, however, I caught her uncharacteristically ebbing on low leaning on the counter where the coffee machine and subsequent hot water tap is located, chatting quietly with one of her colleagues. She looked worn out. After slogging away for hours before anyone was awake, her apron was dusted in icing sugar and bits of baking My intention was not to disturb her so I quietly went to fill my cup with hot water only to find that it wouldn't work while the machine was making the big pots of coffee. It needed time to heat up again. This is when she noticed me and of course tried to help. When it was apparent that time was all it needed, I dropped my fasttrack plans to go with the flow.

I'm glad I did........how often do we have a chance to by-pass all chatty fillers and go straight to the heart...........to what matters?

She asked me where I worked. I told her that I worked with people on social assistance.

"Oh my! That would be difficult. But, I look at your face and I know you're a kind soul. I think you'd be good at it," she said and then she hugged me.

"Thank you. I love working with them. It's harder at this time of year because emotions around Christmas get complicated and sadder. I don't know how most of them manage," I replied.

"Funny, I was just talking to (her colleague) about that. My husband left me with 3 young children in 1978. We had nothing........absolutely nothing. I hated Christmas for many many years because I had nothing to give. It was horrible........and I was so lonely. I've had to work so hard. But I love Christmas now. My kids have grown up and they're happy. They are all settled in their lives and it makes me proud to know that I was able to give them the love they needed."

All of a sudden, the store became cozy, both of us oblivious to the flurry around us. We became engaged in one another's lives. We chatted about the difficulties of trying to get out of the cycle of poverty, about how the "system" keeps people down and out, about the homeless, the hungry and the people who aren't acknowledged.

Her word...........acknowledged..................she told me that the worst thing in the world is not hunger...........it's living a life where you aren't acknowledged. Then, she told me her story with big brimming tears in her eyes.

She grew up in a family of 8. During her whole life, all she wanted was her father to say her name out loud. Instead, she was the brunt of unending abuse..........verbally and physically. The family struggled financially and spiritually. It wasn't until her father was dying of lung cancer that she heard him say her name out loud. This angry vicious man softened after he introduced his daughter Diana to his nurse........ acknowledgement led to forgiveness. Diana forgave her father. They found closeness. Diana found God.

Since then, she has had two "visions." Her purpose is ahead of her, she believes. In August when she reaches 65 and can retire, her plan is to follow her vision. She wants to go to Africa to work through her church. A new life. A strong purpose. Diana intends to share her love. She wants to pass on the wisdom she learned as an abused child...............she wants to be a part of acknowledging the forgotten. When she spoke of her plans, she lit up like the biggest, brightest Christmas tree..................sparkle in her teary eyes...........hope in her voice.

Words of encouragement.........reinforcing her dreams.............I then told her about my writing.............that just last week I wrote about the need to be acknowledged............to feel significant. I told her so that she would know I understood and how strangely serendipitous it was that we were having this conversation while I waited for the water to heat up. She hugged me again in agreement, and asked if I would bring her a copy of my writing since she doesn't have access to a computer.

"God is doing this you know," she said. "God knew we needed to connect today. You're just what I needed........" she said. ANOTHER HUG!!

When the water finally heated up, I filled my cup (which of course felt like it was already overflowing........) and went to pay for my tea, and newspaper. Diana's colleague waved at me with a smile...................they werent going to let me pay. I bounced off to work, a little late but elated.

An hour later, I returned with a few things for Diana to read........... her apron had been dusted off. Her colour was back in her cheeks. She met me right at the door with her smiling eyes and her "hideee ho hello...."

"Oh, I knew you'd come back! I CAN'T WAIT to read your stories..........you're just what I needed. God did this didn't He?"

Yes, Diana........................He gave me a gift..............He sent me a message through the muffin lady. An angel with a new vision....... with acknowledgement to share.

A free tea, three hugs and a moment of grace. Not bad for the start of a day. Sometimes it's best to be late for work. I highly recommend it every now and then.