So my long work weekend is done, and my work week is almost over. One of the things about my job is that I get to see a lot of people all the time. Some are regulars, some just stop in, then leave and I never see them again. But even in those 30 seconds, there is much that I can often learn about that person.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned a co-worker’s child, fighting for his life. His mother, my co-worker, is a beautiful person, and asks for nothing, ever. The company is very family oriented in its values, so we are doing a variety of fundraisers to help the family out. One of the fundraisers is that customers can make donations through the stores. A few days ago, I’m asking a customer if he would like to make a donation His response was, “No one donates to me.”
This, to me, is a drastic, real-life comparison and example of how the Spirit works:
On one side, we have a young mother, asking for nothing, hoping for help for her child. She is grateful for all the assistance she is getting.
On the other side, we have a person who is much older (older than middle age), demanding entitlements for choices he made in his youth, and holding onto bitterness and resentment because he’s not getting it.
I’ve been on one side of this experience already. I grew up in an angry, bitter household, and that is how I spent much of my life. Angry, bitter, resentful. It is only in the last few years that I have learned the power of gratitude. Being grateful for what you have is the beginning to the potential of gaining more than you could ever hope for.
The Warriors Den 