The hotel worker waved and approached me as I entered the pool area where we were staying in New Orleans. I couldn’t understand what she said so I walked closer. We’d met on the elevator the day before. Her lovely smile and gracious words caught me off guard. She remembered me talking about “losing my mind, traveling with 7 kids.”
I’m always meeting strangers… telling my story, hearing theirs. David asks me not to look at people directly if we’re in a hurry. He knows I’ll stop and talk (haha). Today, when she asked me a question I had a minute to chat. Because of her boldness we shared the most lovely moment, like sisters do. 40 years sober, and a mom to extra children like me… Olivia and I found we had traveled similar roads. Kindred-spirits.
“Something about you,” she said. I had felt it too.
How often does fear and insecurity keep us from bridging the gap, reaching out and letting someone come close? The world is chock full of God’s children. A kind word, a smile, a hand shake, even a joke might be the first step in opening the door to a soul who needs our encouragement.
As women, we live in such different worlds, but we share a very common Hope. His name is Jesus. Someday, we’ll live in the same world with that same Hope walking beside us. No more sorrow, no more fear! In the meantime, I pray to be as bold as Olivia. She may never know, the boost she gave me on the weekend I was leaving our son at college.
ForGlorySake! –Anna
