I was boarding my flight to ..... well, somewhere, recently (I can't remember as I have been traveling a bunch and the flights tend to run together), and I was in my lane (stay in your lane, right?) to board and talking to the gentleman behind me, when another guy walked right past us and got in front of us. I don't know about you, but even if I have priority boarding, I need that overhead bin space, and if you are any further back than Group 2 (or whatever your airline chooses to call the 2nd group---by colors, numbers, favorite dog breeds, whatever...), you may or may not have room for your suitcase in the overhead bin.  I abhor checking my bag, and I avoid it like the plague, so for people to "cut" in line kinda irritates me. Apparently, the guy I was talking to felt the same way, because he said, "Hey, there's a line for Group 1 back here for a reason!" pretty loudly. The guy who had zipped past us turned around just in time for us to see how he was dressed, and he said, "You probably want me on the plane. I'm the co-pilot".  {Oops!!} While I was ever so grateful I hadn't shared my thoughts aloud, the guy behind me said, "Well, maybe he should have just said, 'Excuse me; I need to get past, as I'm the co-pilot for your flight'." 
We make assumptions all the time, don't we?  I've heard the very typical ones said about people who are homeless or nearly there by others that see them, saying, "Oh look! He has a cell phone and he's begging for money" or "If he can stand on both feet, he should be able to get a job".  What we aren't realizing is that we don't know all of anyone's story....unless of course we are willing to ask or sit and talk with them.  I talked a couple of years ago about starting a ministry at our church in Tucson in which Dave and I started out taking bags of water, fruit, nutrition bars, etc. down to downtown Tucson and passing them out. We got to know a guy named Bernard, who actually gave Dave an orange (it makes me smile to think about it now) in an effort to "repay" us for our kindness, only to yell at us to go away the next week we brought down more bags for more people.  Some other folks that spent their nights in that same park said to us, "Don't mind Bernard. He's just crazy!" and they took our bags of food and water.  I still think about Bernard. Did we make him mad? Was he so mentally ill he couldn't remember our kindness from the week before? Our thoughts begat other thoughts as well.  We wondered why those folks simply didn't go to a homeless shelter that was less than a half block away.  When we asked questions, we found out that the shelters had pretty firm policies (rightfully so, of course) on "no drugs" (and some of these folks were so addicted to marijuana or other drugs, they didn't have the capacity on their own volition to stop).  They also had curfews, and some of the mentally ill folks felt more comfortable out at night than they did being out during the day.  I think I know a few college students like that, don't you?? 
I think what I learned and am still learning, one day at a time, is that I don't know what someone else is going through, and to make assumptions about them or their situation is judgement that I have no business doing.  In fact, to go back to my initial story, I need to simply "stay in my lane".
Just for today, maybe instead of making assumptions about people, we might ask questions to show we care.
I pray blessings on each one of you who reads this.
Happy Communicating!

Shelly
​

Two little words (in English...other languages simplify it even further). And yet, we don't often say it enough.  I was traveling to New York two weeks ago for work, and, as I boarded one of my flights, I scanned my phone's boarding pass and said, "Thank you so much for your cheerfulness this morning" to the gate agent. He perked up (even more, which I wasn't sure had been possible) and said, "You're welcome, and I hope you have the most wonderful day".  As I started down the jetbridge, I heard Mr. Grumpy Gills (a.k.a. the man boarding behind me) literally grunt to the gate agent.  But why?  He wasn't feeling it?  If he was the anomaly, that would be one thing, but I hear nothing, grunts, or muffled 'yeah's all the time when I travel. What is so hard about saying those words?  
Dave makes fun of me because all the people at the Sonic in our small town seem to know me by name (my friends in Niceville, Florida will not be shocked by this at all).  We "God bless you" to each other when I pick up my Coke Zero for the day, and they are appreciative of the tips they get.  I wonder if it is because they usually have to deal with the relatives and friends of Mr. Grumpy Gills from the airport.  
I get down on my knees on a little stool my mother used (to use to get into bed or to reach into a higher cupboard) every morning to pray to God that I can at least try to be the person He wants me to be. I fail miserably sometimes, but I figure I have a fighting chance if I ask for help. At mealtimes and other times, Dave and I pray for thanks for all we have been given, even when we have loved ones who are suffering or have passed away.  Yesterday morning, I asked Dave if he still walks around our brand new home we built in the hill country of Texas this past year, saying, "Wow! We are so blessed to live in this beautiful home".  He said, quite honestly, that he doesn't always think to do that. He, on the other hand, is so very grateful for the time he gets to spend on the golf course, having retired from work 6 years ago.  I am goofy, and I still walk in my library and say, "I love that I can see all my books for the first time in my life. Thank you!" Maybe I travel so much for work that when I am home, I see the beauty in what we have here. Dave sees the beauty in a bird(ie). See what I did there? 
Today, I am grateful for so many things:

• the ability to watch church online when it just didn't work to get up in time to get to Boerne for in-person church
• the ability to work with educators around the world and compare notes on best practices and love what we do.....even when it is HARD 
• the ability to read a good book while sitting in the sunshine with our dear Labs
• Dave and our marriage (if not perfect, pretty darn close) of 30 years----we just re-upped for another 30, by the way :)
• too many other things to count, including some measure of serenity I might not have had about 25 years ago
• a place like this to voice my thoughts and people like you who care enough to read them

Just for today, perhaps consider for what things you are most grateful.  Don't forget to tell the people around you "thank you", even for the little things. 
Happy Communicating!!
​Shelly