Chapter Fifty Two; Sap Crap Aunt Ethel will just Love

We all get them.

Email forwards masquerading as meaningful correspondence. From our Moms. Or sweet Aunt Ethel who just discovered email six months ago.

You know the kind.

Those sappy stories of "life observations" that may be true, but really, if I am checking email it is either because I’m at work and need to follow up on something associated with my day job or else I am in my personal account late at night bantering with my girlfriends about something really important like, "What would you say if I got hair extensions?"

My point?

There’s enough in my inbox already.

Do I really need to make time to stop and smell the Outlook roses, too?

Yeah, not so much.

Delete.

(Sorry Aunt Ethel. I know it was "A Good one! Worth the read!" but I needed to write back to my sister about visiting Iowa this summer and although I'm sure your forward would have been, as you said, "Life changing!" when you sent it to me (and 200 of your closest relatives) I really don't have time to read about the little boy whose near death experience will send chills down my spine.)

My spine is busy.

But today I must confess.

I did something worse than take time to read a sappy forward.

I think I just . . . GASP! . . . wrote one of my own!

Hmmm.

It just came spilling out my fingertips like I was possessed by the sap devil.

And so here it is. The remnants of my major "life insight attack" that I couldn’t resist jotting down.

And then posting on my blog.

You might want to keep reading. It has the potential to be life changing.


“The Next time . . .”


The next time . . .
. . . you see a homeless person with a cardboard sign: give them all the cash you have on you.

It does not matter if they are in these circumstances because they are nuts. Or addicted. Or just lazy.

They are standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign.

And you aren't.

******************

The next time . . .
. . . someone you know has a baby: rush to greet the new arrival before that kid is two weeks old.

Slather anti-bacterial on your hands and pick that newborn up. Play with her toes. Caress her little head. Gaze into her tiny face.

Because new life does not last long. It is something to marvel.

And it is not every day you have the chance to hold innocence in your arms.

******************

The next time . . .
. . . you pray with your children: let them take the lead.

There is nothing sweeter in this world than listening to a child's prayer. A child will ask God to cure all disease and take care of all the poor people.

And then request, with just as much sincerity, a new bike.

Children are little mirrors. They want bikes. We want bigger houses.

******************

The next time . . .
. . . a friend comes to you looking for advice: give it reluctantly.

And know in your heart all they are really asking is just for someone to listen.

Be their sounding board.

Let them talk.

And then give them only 5% of the opinion you have.

Because if you do, your friendships will be life-long and rock solid.

But most importantly.

The next time life gets hard for you and you need a friend . . .
. . . you'll have a long list of people to call who are willing to listen to you.

*****************

And now, email this to everyone you know.

And don't forget to include my Aunt Ethel in your distribution list. She's all about those life changing spine chilling forwards.

And if you’re wondering the real reason I think you should send this on?

Hey.

Because none of us ever really know if we’re even going to get another chance to see . . . the next time.