Weekly Thought – May 21, 2024
Fred carried a pocket tape recorder with him. He always had scraps of paper (envelopes were a favorite) for catching thoughts and quotes. Margie spent nearly twenty years transcribing. Her typing speed was dizzying! One of the binders held one-liners, poems, humorous lines, miscellaneous quotes, and one labeled “Stories.”
Committed to Service
I was speaking in Kingston, New York, and my host planned to meet me at LaGuardia, driving me to the town. It was a cold February day, with snow and ice on the road. When he arrived, he had a young man with him doing the driving. He was not part of the “executive training program,” so I engaged him in conversation to hear his story. He was a local delivery truck driver who worked for a local firm.
He had insisted on driving because he thought my host was “getting up in years” and wouldn’t be comfortable or confident to drive in the bad weather. Along the way he made a stop saying he thought two gentlemen of our age would appreciate a cup of coffee and a restroom. I think I had just turned forty!
After the meeting I discovered someone took my overcoat. The young man thought an older man with a bad memory had taken it by mistake, so he drove to his house, rescued my overcoat, and returned it to the hotel. As he left, he wrote down his home phone number telling me I could call anytime for any reason. Earlier in the evening he heard me mention I was experiencing gallstone pain, so he included the phone number for the local hospital. As he left for home that night he asked if he could join the group for breakfast the next morning. He said he just liked to listen to the conversation.
He joined us and a few minutes before we finished. he left the table. He returned with an envelope in his hand. He passed it to me saying, “It is Valentine’s Day and you’ll be traveling. I was afraid you might forget to get your wife a card.” It was one of those extremely frilly, over-the-top romantic valentines which I would hardly have picked out for Mary Alice, but I was extremely proud to give it to her and tell her the story.
This was a young man totally committed to service. The menial tasks were done with a noble spirit.
This week carefully think about: 1) How aware am I of those who are committed to service? 2) What helps me be alert of stories around me? 3) Who deserves recognition for an outstanding attitude?
Words of Wisdom: “The menial tasks were done with a noble spirit.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Romans 12:11 NET Bible)