Greetings Beautiful Mothers,
Today was the German festival that was organized
by my daughter’s school. I had volunteered to be at the rummage sale station. The work started a couple of days ago. When I walked into the gymnasium yesterday almost half of the gym was filled
with black garbage bags stuffed with donated clothes. These donated clothes are
sold at the fair and all the proceeds go to the school.
I was excited to see
what the day would bring. One by one we sorted through each bag, organized and
categorized them and by the end of the day the gymnasium looked like a Chinese warehouse!
One side of the gym was dedicated to rows and
rows of miscellaneous items, like little
decorations, trinkets , kitchen wares, I even saw some cassettes and cassette
player, out dated TVs, Christmas items, glasses, cups plates anything you can
think of , it was there!
The other side , well clothes, clothes and more clothes!!
The other side , well clothes, clothes and more clothes!!
I love to watch people and this is what I was
doing, there was not much I could do except to inform them of the dollar a bag
deal. People came in steadily, looking for a find, some walked away with
frames, some with lamp shades and a lot came prepared to buy clothes for their friends, grand kids, family and neighbors. Groups
came and went filling their bags with the goodies, went to the festival ate those
delicious German sausages and left.
One particular lady caught my eye. She
was intensely feminine, had ultra pale skin and her red hair was loosely tied at the
back. The contrast made her look very distinct yet she was shy and her
mannerisms were that of a teenager.
She was picking up each article of clothing and if she
did not like it she would fold it and neatly pile it beside her, reorganizing whatever she rejected. She made no eye contact with me until I found
something for her. It was an orange dress that had some Indian style design and
when she put it against her, the red hair stood out, she looked beautiful!
She shyly took the dress, folded it neatly into a small packet, compressed it with both her hands and placed it inside her bag, pressed it with some force to make room for more in that bag and said “ I don’t
really go out much, I stay home most of the time. I am on disability for many
reasons. I live alone and I cannot work. I stay home and this is the first time
in eight months I have been out. I don’t even like to talk to people, but I feel
like talking to you.”
This statement made me feel simultaneously
comfortable and uneasy. After I quickly shifted from the initial discomfort I was able to look beyond her expressions and her words and just simply saw her for her.
I made a connection with her spirit. She said
she was forty but she really looked 19 to me. I wondered if I should invite her
for a German sausage dog outside and listen to some music. My heart won this argument
and so I invited her. After a little hesitation she agreed to join me and followed me
like a little lamb and we sat on the benches and ate lunch together.
As the music trailed in the air, the inflatable
bouncy slides added depth of color to the visual in the background, the white
tents with the vendors and their wares, little children running around freely,
laughter ringing faintly, transported me to a different dimension all together.
Her conversation was at once that of a child and also an hurt adult,
innocent and irregular. We talked about butterflies, dried flowers and her
heart break. I was engaged with her and she laughed and talked and told me a lot
of herself, like I was her best friend. Then all of a sudden a silence descended upon her and she asked for some sweet tea. I walked
to the stall to get her the tea and when I came back, she was gone! My eyes raced to see if I can get a glimpse of her leaving in her car or walking away in a distance but nothing. And again, I was left there holding the sweet tea in my hands, feeling the contradictory moment of having met a stranger and having lost a stranger.
I am not sure why I am sharing this story
with you but somewhere in my heart I felt that it had to be shared. That was
just it, a happy day and moment caught with a stranger. I do not want to add a
message to this and make it cryptic or forcibly enlightening. It was a mysterious encounter, almost surreal and definitely worth sharing with you!
I walked into the gymnasium, looked at the
mass of clothes, now in disorganized heaps all over the floor. Those old things
that we hold on to, we think might serve us one day but really all it does is
occupy space in our lives physically, mentally and emotionally. And right now
at this very moment we can choose to let go of the old and start afresh with
new ideas, new hope and a new you!
Until tomorrow mothers, throw away that which
does not serve you and be present for the gift of now.
As usual if you have any
questions or comments I am here to help you!
I teach moms (also via
Skype sessions) to identify and release the blockages that hold
them back, to find within them the
empowerment to gain clarity of vision, achieve their most audacious dreams and find profound success , fulfillment and peace.
251-609-1251
©alivewithadwiti LLC
P.S. sign up for my blog/follow me or go to my website to get a free abundance e-course. Lots of good feedback on that one! ENJOY!
©alivewithadwiti LLC
Very touching narration.If only you could have found her when you got back with tea..maybe then you could have hugged her tight ....for your inner peace and perhaps mine too...may your contradictory moment of ''having met a stranger and having lost a stranger'' may be blessed by supreme soul & let it just remain as ''Having found a friend'' soon...
ReplyDeleteGod bless you for all your good deeds.superb narration.