I had an early doctor’s appointment today.  And while I was there I kept running into people who I found interesting.  Nothing major…just little things I noticed today.

As I was pulling into the parking lot, there was a car in front of me…going very slowly.  I also noticed that a first parking place under a shady tree was about to come available.  So, I just sat and waited for the driver to pull out.  As I waited, I noticed Mr. Slow Driver pull on down and pull into a parking place.  Then he backed out of that space…slowly.  And, pulled into another.  Then he backed out of that one.  Next thing I know, he is heading back toward me…and sure enough…he whipped that old Buick into that first parking place…with me sitting there waiting…with my blinker on!    It struck me as funny..instead of irritating me.  I just went on down to the place he pulled out of first.  When he got out of his car, he must have been 90 years old.  I ended up walking with him to the office.  “Boy, you sure lucked up to get that nice shady spot,”  I said.  “Oh, Jesus was saving it for me!” he replied. I don’t think he even realized what he had done.  That was his space and he was going for it!  I held the door for him and the next door and then let him sign in before me.  Finally, he was all set.  I signed in and sat down.  “Thank you, Lord, for letting me be gracious to this old man..especially since it was YOU saving the parking place for him!!!”

As I sat in the waiting room, I noticed a mother with her daughter.  The daughter had a little baby.  He was fussy and whining, and they were doing their best to pacify him and make him happy.  But, both were getting frustrated.  It wasn’t long before the Grandmother came out from seeing the doctor.  That baby saw her, let out a yelp and got the biggest smile on his face.  Little arms reached out to her, and she took him.  Immediately the whining and crying stopped!  He was where he wanted to be!  Oh, it’s great to have ‘grandmother power’!

I didn’t have to wait too long.  Then it was off to the lab.  Blood work every 4 months…and these old veins don’t get a bit more cooperative!  But, Ms. Lab Tech was so kind and happened to get my blood on the third stick…in my hand!  She felt so bad.  It takes so little to be kind…especially when you are causing pain!

As I waited there was a lady sitting in the room with me.  Somehow, we got to talking about how everything today is computerized. Helper Lady began telling me about how she helped several elderly people who had to do things online…and they had no idea even how to open a computer!  She said that she had found a way to help people while staying home to care for her mother.  Isn’t that the nicest thing?  It’s just the little things people do that mean so much.  Have you ever thought about what those with no computer knowledge  do in this day and time?  As she said, when our generation dies, that should not be a problem since everyone younger than us has grown up with computers.  Interesting, I thought.

Then, as I sat back in the lab waiting room, a older man from our church came in.  Mr. Joe makes honey and molasses and sells it.  It is divine.  We talked a little about Pop…they are in the same Sunday school class.  And, then he began to tell me how much better molasses is for you than even honey.  It was very interesting.  He is such a fine man, and I enjoyed talking to him.

He got called out and a young man came in.  He was huffing and puffing.  He was not happy.  Tired Man was having to wait too long.  He said he was tired and had worked all night.  I’m glad I wasn’t the lab tech going to draw his blood or the doctor or nurse who worked with him later.  This is for sure…it was a good thing he had a wad of gum in his mouth to chomp on, because he was that mad!  Good for him…not for me.  One of the most annoying sounds in the world to me is to hear someone smacking and popping and chomping their gum!  It is rude, people.  If you could only hear what it sounds like.  Not that this young man cared a bit!!!

And, this is the truth, so help me!  When he got up and left…a woman with a bag of knitting came in and sat down.  Y’all.  Y’all, if she burped one time, she burped twenty!  Not like hiccups…but those kind that my boys used to do to see who could be the loudest or the grossest!  And Burping Woman never even looked up from her knitting!  Never!

I heard a voice in the hallway that sounded familiar.  Sure enough, it was a girl that I taught at church…she and her children.  She has always been just a delight and is now a  drug rep . It was good to speak to her.  Our paths do not cross too often anymore.  Thanks for the smiles, CWH.

One more thing.  As I was still in the lab area, I overheard another Doctor tell his nurse that he saw an obituary for one of his patients in the paper this morning.   He told her to be sure they sent a card, and called the family.  I though that was so kind.

I finally saw my Doc.  He was happy, as he always is.  Got some new meds and some tests set up.

I thought it was just an interesting mix of people this morning.  No matter where you go, there are always people who are old and feeble, kind and helpful, rude and complaining.  There are always those that look for ways to help, and those who are kind and caring in the jobs they perform.  There are those who are rushed and ‘put out’ when things don’t go their way.   I think we all get that way at times.  I pray to become more aware of how other people perceive me.  There were 3 people I ran into this morning that knew me and knew I claimed to be a follower of Jesus.  Did the others I saw see that in me?  What kind of impression did I leave with them this morning?  I hope I was kind and patient and helpful.

And, perhaps, those who were annoying to me this morning were facing greater battles than what was evident.  Who knows what they are dealing with daily?  Only God…perhaps their doctors.  I am not always patient and kind and helpful.  There are so many times I fail.  I have to ask for forgiveness and start all over again.

I will say, in my behalf…I exercised a GREAT deal of restraint with Burping Woman, and Gum Chomping Tired Man.

“Oh, these are the people in your neighborhood,

In your neighborhood,

In your neigh-bor-ho-od,

These are the people in your neighborhood,

They’re the people that you meet,

When you’re walking down the street,

They’re the people that you meet   each    day!       (from: Sesame Street)