I had been having  a rough morning...so I pulled off from the shop to grab a cup of coffee...as I was leaving I saw an old friend...a client I worked around when I worked with mentally challenged adults...I stopped and looked at her and as she looked up at me (not knowing if she would or could remember me) I asked...Do You remember me? She smiled a near toothless smile and said softly Tiiiiim! Then she sprang up and gave me a warm hug but back straightening...I was glad to see her and she was well cared for....I was and am blessed. That work was not a career but a calling!

I had not seen her for I guess maybe 6 or seven years, and as I rode the escalator down to the bottom floor back to work, I felt my eyes welling up with gratitude to God to have made a difference in her life, and she in mine! I looked for my old blog posting of years ago, and here is the story of the previous time I saw her, and my insights....

The Human Touch - A Repost

This was an old blog posting of an encounter I had just before retiring from social work to pursue my art!

The Human Touch!

I had a lesson in humanity today. As I was going about my current job, in a public place, I heard a familiar voice call my name. Tiiiiiiiimmmmm! I had not heard that voice in years, but its familiarity was imbedded in my psyche. It was a client from a program I was employed with years back. I had worked with these very special people for many years. I stopped my brisk pace to see the old friend.

I remember first meeting her as I was on my first day at that job, and she came in my office area to empty the trash. Hi I’m Genn (Name Changed) who are you? I told her and introduced myself thus starting an attachment that has lasted some nearly twelve years. Many times when I showed up for work and when she arrived, she would come to the table I was sitting at and stand by me. Sometimes I was too preoccupied to give ear to her, but most times like a child she would hang there till she got and gave a hug. The human touch. I must admit those years were some of the toughest of my life, fraught with many life lesson mistakes. Those hugs sometimes brought me back down to earth, and I thought today how much we as humans yearn for that touch from those we love, and go without. How many times others have yearned for an affirming touch from us and we stayed self absorbed and missed the moment.

She was a rotund, pint sized woman with a young child’s mind and emotions. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and it was so big that her love and care for others would fill the room. She had this big toothy grin that mirrored the joy in her heart. Her laugh was a giggle of great glee. When she was down, her sadness could fill a room also. Though sometimes she could severely get on your nerves you could not help but love her. She would sometimes come to me and proudly say “ Tim I lost fifty pounds and I would look and see no change from before, but agreed none the less, much to her joy from approval . She having a young child’s mindset, was not unlike like a grown woman in wanting approval for weight loss.

We staffers were family, just as close or closer to her than her own family. She as the other clients did not realize it was a job that we were paid for. For me, and most of us it transcended the minimal pay we received. Then one day after many years working there I left to move on in life, leaving them physically but ever being with them in spirit so to say. I still manage to drop in and see those that I know there, to catch up on things (family you know). I guess it is sort of like a homecoming.

So here I am today seeing this old friend who immediately wanted a hug, much like a child that had been away for the day at school, missing their parents. My friend was now much more aged in a different program and less toothy in her smile, hugging me again, Again once more hugging me as I was turning to leave after we talked. I had a feeling it might be the last time I may see her. I looked over at her care givers who were smiling because she was being who she was, and thought what fine people for the work they do.

I write this tonight as a statement of my thankfulness for those years, and with the hope that those who may read it, be touched to reach out to touch those around them in a positive manner. Do not miss the moment! To Those who have family members in care programs, know that those who do the work, care far more than the minimal wages they are paid. They do that work out of love for those they are hired to serve!
Thanks for dropping by and letting me share!
Tim

Mood:  lyrical

This graphic was found at:https://www.facebook.com/Gr8.ppl.Gr8.thoughts

Mood:  a-ok

I write from personal experience many times except when sharing soemone elses' testimony...Personal experience is Your testimony! 

I had an interesting experience earlier this week. It seemed that some fellow employees were tied up at work and asked me to attend to a couple of things for the store, and I agreed. It was a seemingly rushed thing and now when I look back at it I see God's hand in it....

Seems that as I left a certain establishment, I ran into someone from my past that I have no angst against, and in the Lord I did everything I could to at least bring some closure to the situation but was met with a deaf ear...So eventually when You have done all in the Lord, He usually brings distance and healing...which is what happened...and I am thankful. You forgive, as I did!

It was a very tough time in life and it could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble by heeding warnings & by not going there, but many times when we follow our heart against the truth...when the inevitable happens, the hurt is great.

In our positive thinking society, and even among we Christians we override sometimes very evident fractures and fizzures in others and even ourselves. Walking in the Spirit of God gives clarity if we take note, yet it is a sketchy thin line that is not always clear when we follow our own desires. God in His Word is clear! 

In this instance not being sure if this one saw me but I acted as if I did not recognize them and let it ride, because really I did not want to see them, and I was working. Now later when not hurried as I mulled over the hectic day's happenings, I thought back about that time, and being human You wondered what ifs.....You see Yourself, Your actions...You see them, their actions, aall the good and bad and You see the end result. You see God's hand upon You during that time and onward..It was what it was and it is what it is! 

Of course since it ended You would have desired to have a peacible end to things, but You can only answer for Yourself, and take responsibility for Yourself. Of course You would rather have run into an old friend of whch each of You share a mutual repect, but God does guide our steps, and He lets us see how far He has brought us...which shows His love and Mercy for us, and sometimes Your prayers for them is a powerful overcoming weapon for them in whatever state (Unknown to You) they are in! 

Then You find Yourself praying blessings for them, as Christ wants us to, and looking at Your present state, and You learn to be thankful!.

In general people either learn and change, and others don't, excepting that they bring more hurt and pain upon themselves from life in general. Why? I think it is because of that which resides within themselves and will not release.....There are extenuations in these things....

Prayer and growth through these experiences brings to mind a picture of how concrete is laid down...the rocky tumultuous times are bedrocked and glued together with the sifted wet sands of prayer and God's loving guiding Hands...left to solidify it is a foundation to be built upon! There You have The Holy Spirit like the workman running the leveled squeegee over the top to smooth out the final product..nice level smoothed foundations for building upon for the present and future!

 

Now You may have happened upon this page by accident or You may have been one that has dropped through on my past bloggings...You may be one that is going through a knot-hole experience, and You wrestle with unforgiveness or are not receiving closure....I am here to say You will make it through...It may be short or it may take a long time, but it boils down to the Lord, and Your submissive walk with Him...

Take it as an experience in Your Walk and to ASK and let Him help You learn from it! Only He Knows all the variables between You and others, with mates, co-workers, friends, family...whatever it is...I have no pat answers, and it will not most times just miraculously lift and smooth out all of a sudden. I am not here to  flog You religiously with scripture. I have had enough swung at me in situations in life, by well meaning Brethren! If You really concentrate on Your Walk With Christ, You will heal and progress!

Blessings, In Him Brother Timothy

Romans 5: 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 and

 2 Corinthians 3:17-This Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Lord's Spirit is, there is freedom.

18 As all of us reflect the Lord's glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.