Yesterday I had a nice moment with Ron, one of the guys behind the counter at the post office. I was sending some books to Yani, filling out the front of one of those boxes for priority mail. Ron came out from behind the counter, took the box from me, looked into my eyes and said with concern, "What's going on?" "Breast cancer." "You going to be okay?" "Yes, I hope so." "Cancer just sucks. I'm so sorry."
We talked for a minute only, but it was so nice to be seen and acknowledged in this way. Most people I encounter look away, and certainly don't mention that they notice the baldness under the scarf or the baseball cap. Out in public I feel both like I stand out and that I am invisible.
Ron approached me in the perfect way and with the perfect tone: What's going on?
I wrote him a thank you letter as soon as I got home. Put a 44 cent stamp on, but imagined the mailman would have passed the letter to Ron without it.
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This country is filled with much better people than one imagine through reading the newspapers and watching network news. I have found that many of them work in our post offices. Thank the Creator for simple kindnesses.
ReplyDeletePaula, I'm happy that Ron "went postal" on you in a kind way. From personal experience, postal workers get a bum rap.
ReplyDeleteI think that feeling invisible is, perhaps, the most painful injury of all.
I'm glad you know that you aren't invisible.