A woman was waiting at an airport one night, with several long hours before her flight. She hunted for a book in the airport shops, bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.
She was engrossed in her book but happened to see, that the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be. . .grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between, which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.
So she munched the cookies and watched the clock, as the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock. She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, “If I wasn’t so nice, I would blacken his eye.”
With each cookie she took, he took one too, when only one was left, she wondered what he would do. With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie and broke it in half.
He offered her half, as he ate the other, she snatched it from him and thought… oooh, brother. This guy has some nerve and he’s also rude, why he didn’t even show any gratitude!
She had never known when she had been so galled, and sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate, refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.
She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat, then she sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise, there was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.
If mine are here, she moaned in despair, the others were his, and he tried to share. Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.
By Valerie Cox in “A Matter of Perspective”
As we plan for ceremonies, dinners and more… Let us all stop and step back and take a deep breathe. You will have hurdles placed before you during your journey of planning. Knowing there might be more to the story that what “meets the eye” at first glance and we all could use an extra measure of grace, compassion and a pinch of kindness to make it all better.
We can be the change we seek in this world, and in ourselves.
One day. One journey. One person, at a time.
May peace, love and compassion be with you-and from you!
Rev. Royal D. Bush is the founder of Inclusive Life, where he serves as a multifaith Chaplain. He shares this message to all: “You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.” He holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary. He holds a current certificate of spiritual counseling with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling and is a member of Spiritual Directors International. He actively volunteers and remains active in many social justice issues.
ABOUT INCLUSIVE LIFE…
Inclusive Life has been offering Pastoral Services to those in Iowa and Nebraska since 2009. We are a Nebraska, Nonprofit, Independent-Multifaith Community. Religious. Nonreligious. Spiritual. We serve all without exception. We offer Pastoral Care, Officiate Weddings, Prepare End of Life Documents, provide hospital visits, perform: Baptisms, naming ceremonies, blessings, dedications, and Officiate Funerals.
CONTACT US:
www.facebook.com/inclusivelife
402-575-7006
105 S. 49th Street Omaha, NE 68132
