Within Reach of Every Hand

 This morning when I drove to work through the darkness at 6:45 am, it was cold. Like 32 degrees cold. Roy warmed up the car for me so that I could blast the heat once inside. Yeah. He's nice like that.

Anyway, once I got to work I rode the elevator up to the 2nd floor where I work and did my normal early morning routine: log in to my computer, put away my things, throw my lunch in the frig, chat it up for a quick minute with Heather and Hanna...that sort of thing. And in the midst of all of this, I remembered that I had a folder that I needed to run to the basement. So, grabbing the folder off of my desk, I headed back to the elevator at the same time as one of the social workers who I don't see too often and really don't know at all. But it was clear that she planned to join my on the elevator.

And because sometimes I am just not a nice person, I immediately growled inside. Because this worker looked cranky and difficult and I immediately thought--oh boy. I need to make some happy conversation in the elevator and she's not going to make it easy.

Because you know, when it's just you and one other person in an elevator and nobody says anything it's rather a-w-k-w-a-r-d. Really. I kind of struggle in those situations: should I stare at my phone? At the door? At the floor? Should I say something like 'It's a nice day outside, yeah?' Or 'how are you doing today?' That sort of thing...But when it's someone that you actually see on occasion, even if you don't know them, it seems especially awkward to just stare elsewhere.

So all of this was running through my head as I stepped into the elevator with this girl--the crabby difficult girl.

And as the elevator started heading down, I looked at her and said, "First floor?" She nodded. And then I noticed that she was carrying a warm cup of coffee. The steam rose from the Starbucks cup, enveloping me in a sweet aroma that made me crave its contents, all for myself.

"Mm...that smells divine," I swooned, nodding at her cup.

"Yeah," she said. "There's a man who slept in the stairwell of the parking garage last night. I figured he needs something to warm him up."

And just then, the elevator door opened and she quickly exited, leaving me speechless with my harsh judgment.

Because...

I thought she was cranky when really she was far more considerate than me.
I thought I would scramble for words while she scrambled to help another.

I judged while she selflessly gave.

Love is a fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand.
-Mother Teresa