From the sideline to the firing line

Well, being charitable sometimes has tangible benefits. Remember my new friends from Utah who got tarred and feathered by my fellow citizens a couple weeks back? They hired me to consult for them as they continue their efforts to locate an addiction treatment facility in our fair city. And they have already sent the first check. I would have helped for free...but I am happy to have the income. I have met with the City Manager, the Mayor, and have begun to schedule meetings with the rest of the council...
I fly to Salt Lake City first thing tomorrow to see their organization and meet more of their people.

But as exciting as that is, it is not why I am writing. February was a brutal path of twists and turns, and here I thought 2012 would be a cake walk following 2011...but already I see it is purposeful that I would have the temporary jarring. Mental anguish will cause me to take long walks. Something I had been unable to do the latter part of 2011 as I slowly healed. But now I am out, mostly alone, and I have noticed the many older preople who live in my community. Their faces etched with the decades of twists and turns. Mostly alone...occasionally an older couple holding hands, but by far, most are alone.

In years past, I hardly gave notice to this part of the population as I passed them at Mach II with my hair on fire. But now, they don't look as old to me as they once did. And they don't look as curmudgeonly, rather they appear lonely more often than not. Spouses who have passed before them, children who have moved away or just moved on...and they are alone...so I stop and say hello...and pat myself on the back for that small offering. Yeah, I said it. I was proud of myself for offering a mere hello. Even now I can hardly stand to admit that to my laptop, much less to the one or two of you who may read this.

But there is more. In facing my own mortality, I realize each day we experience is an experience someone else may need to share. So, I am turning my ear to my newly discovered population of experience. Ok, some of them really are curmudgeons...we don't chat too long. Others are tea dates waiting to happen. I am wanting to know these founts of wisdom. I am signing up for a community service group that will occasionally drive individuals to doctor appointments, change light bulbs, sweep the patio...and in doing so will become richer still. I will be sure and share the experiences with you...there is someone out there reading this isn't there?