The Rain Game
I’m really strange. Unique may be a better word but the truth is, I am. I think differently, not better, at least not all the time, than most people. I have flaws but like everyone else I don’t celebrate those very often. Here is what brought this thought on this morning. I did something that I don’t think most people (not named Jordan Bryant anyway) would have done.
I’m leaving the hospital after visiting my sister and her husband (no worries, he’s doing better.) and it is raining. I mean raining. You don’t understand, R A I N I N G! As I leave, I decide to play a game (see, I told you people don’t think like me). As I am gingerly walking to my car in what seems to be the offspring of Hurricane Katrina, I start asking people (hospital employees, visitors, and one elderly lady that was dressed like she just walked out of an 80’s Church of God Camp meeting) if I can borrow their umbrella.
You have to get the picture. Most people in society stare at the ground. I don’t. I look at everybody and not just a glance, I try to look in their eyes and acknowledge they’re alive with a smile and nod or a simple good morning. So as their staring at the ground, I speak before we get really close. They, slightly to severely startled, stop or slow down when I say, “Excuse me.” Now remember, if you play the game, they must acknowledge before you continue. The first lady was a hospital employee.
Standing in the pouring rain, “Excuse me” I say.
Very confused hospital worker looking around to silently trying to tell me it’s raining without making me look like an idiot, “May I help you?’
“I was wondering if I could borrow your umbrella.”
Hospital worker stands to the side and holds the umbrella where I can stand under with her.
“I’m sorry, I’m going that way” as I point in the opposite direction.
Wait 3 seconds for her mind to determine what she is to do, then laugh and say, “Just kidding, have a great day” and walk on.
I’m talking more fun than Playstation and Wii combined. But, she smiled. Mission accomplished and now she has something to talk about all day and make people laugh.
Next was the visitor but he wasn’t as fun. He just kinda stared at me like I had three heads and walked on. But, he did smile and tell me to have a good day.
But the grand finale was the best. Here you go. Sister Bertha (maybe not her real name but since she was dressed the part and parked in the clergy parking spot, that’s what we’ll call her) had just got to the steps leading out of the parking lot next to the clergy parking on the ground level. I had already made two people’s mornings better, at least I thought I did, and was pretty much soaked at this point and was ready to head to the car when I spotted Sister Bertha. I am trying to not smile but I think my face may have betrayed me. I went through the same routine and everything was going well when it happened. I found a jewel, ladies and gentlepeople. She stepped to the side for me to walk with her and I said my line pointing to the parking lot.
This was awesome. She looked me over from my Nike Shox, to my “And One” shorts, up my Tennessee Tech Basketball T-shirt to my hair all messed up on top of my head before looking at my pitiful face all wet and waiting on an answer. And here is what she said, “Why no, you’re already wet and I just got my hair done this morning. Just run!” And turned and walked toward the hospital.
Here I was trying to make everybody’s day brighter and she completely made mine. If you see me today, there’s a good chance that I will be smiling. I’m almost shaking from laughter even as I type this. That, my friends, is true honesty. None of that fake courtesy that our society is getting so accustomed to, if any courtesy at all happens. Nope, just the truth after assessing the situation.
And get this, I wasn’t offended. She left me standing in the rain with a throw-your-head-back laughing fit as I walked to the car in the rain. Soaked, a little chilly, but laughing.
I know, I’m strange, but I like it here. I’m happy. I’m happier making other people smile but really, I’m just as happy if they don’t. Anybody can be a sour-puss. It doesn’t take a lot of effort. Just read the paper, watch the news, heck, go to the hospital emergency room. There is plenty to be sour about. But, I decided several years back that I don’t get a lot of time to spend here on earth so I will make the best of it.
I’m gonna serve Jesus with everything in me. Not playing church and not caring as much what church-people think. I’m going to try and model my attitude and my actions after Jesus. I fail often but that doesn’t stop me from trying again tomorrow and not repeating the same mistakes.
I’m going to serve my wife. Tammy will know that she is the most important person on the face of this earth. I will be her priest and lead her to God. I will be her protector spiritually, emotionally and physically. And I will be her provider. She will never want for emotional security outside of me, her husband. I will provide stability, security, and an unending love for her.
I’m will love, honor, and train my children as long as I have breath. They may want for material things but they will never find a dad that loves his kids as much as I do and would fight hell with a water pistol to protect and serve them. When they eventually leave mine and Tammy’s home, they will have high standards and expectations to live up to as they make another home somewhere else with someone else.
And I will love life. Not just when I feel blessed but when I don’t. I’ll be 41 years old this July. If I live to the average age of 76 then I am half-way home. I’ve already lived half my life and I do not ever want to waste a day, a moment, an opportunity. Each moment is too precious to waste my energy being hateful. I look at it this way: if I spend a day complaining, that is a day thrown away that I can never get back.
And, you wanna know the best part about my encounter with Sister Bertha this morning… Huh? I know you do so I’ll tell ya.
Apparently, she thought I looked in shape enough to run. Ahhh, life’s little gifts.
Comments
Post a Comment