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Excuse me, do you have a minute?

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This was quite possibly the fastest week in my life.

It probably was in part due to the fact that from Sunday night through Tuesday morning I was extremely blessed to be in Austin, Texas with our son, John. Austin as in….70 degrees during the day…that kind of Austin. Short trip, long distance = plane ride. Air travel, like most of my life, is always an adventure for me.

By nature I am kind of introverted, but somehow am also a magnet for people who are not. I must send out some sort of signal that is the spiritual equivalent of wearing a blue vest with “How can I help you?” printed on the back.

I learned the short version life story of one of the flight attendants between Bloomington and Dallas. Seems his days are extremely long, but hey! they pay the bills.

I caught up on the family dynamics and whereabouts of a grandma of 5 who moved from England to Austin and now has daughters living coast to coast in the USA…and yes, I saw pictures…

And I met Chatty Ron.

That’s how he introduced himself after he leaned over my knitting and asked me if that was crochet. Apparently his mom crocheted.

I almost missed my plane hearing how he had helped an older lady through the airport. If Robin Williams had a Christian brother, I met him outside gate 21 on Tuesday. Complete with Mork-like tangents in conversation, animated body movements and a cross earring, he spoke at length about how we are here to help others.

Although I get lost driving across town, people constantly seek me out to ask directions when I travel.

Sales clerks of all ages tell me their employment woes and relationship issues.

My family begs me not to make eye contact with people when we are in a hurry, but it doesn’t matter because I have had people behind me in the check out line start conversations with me.

All I can figure is, people want someone to listen and maybe they would talk to anyone who will give them the time and the attention to share their story. I just happen to have grown up in a family of talkers and story-tellers, so I am pretty good at listening.

While I would rather just read my book, pay my bill, work on my project; people are more important than my comfort and privacy.

For me, laying down my life every day is setting aside the part of me that would prefer quiet isolation and extreme privacy and being open to whoever God sends my way.

And I have been blessed by those along the journey who stopped what they were doing and listened to me. Like you just did =0)

God bless you today as you make yourself available for friends, family and Chatty Ron’s of life that God may send your way  <3

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