Our life routine is SOLID!
One day, I walked out at 6:00 a.m. as the bright Sun peak within the clear blue sky. I would lift my arms half way to say, “Thank you Lord” for another day. I did not want folks to think that I was crazy, so I lift my arms half way. Then I was reminded of the passage “I will be ashamed of you if you are ashamed of me,” so I lift my arms as straight as I could to give God FULL PRAISE! After all, God has done more for me within these 6 hours of a new day than I could ever imagine.
Every routine was the same on this day. I give God praise for a new day. I walk to the bus stop. I wait on the bus for 15 minutes. I stepped onto the bus. I see all the strange faces and not so strange faces. I try to avoid looking into the faces. When someone gets up or onto the bus, I looked at him or her from top to bottom as with all the folks who come and go. I reach my destination. I walk to the job at 7:00 a.m. There are very little people on the sidewalks. There is enough space for people to walk in their “space” and not bump into yours. I greet those with a “good morning” in passing – some respond—and some do not. Then I think “does him or her know how blessed he or she is to have a stranger to think how important he or she is by saying hello?” How much do we take kindness from a stranger for granted? A stranger has blessed us and most of us have no thought about it!
I thank the Lord again for having a job to come to—knowing that I will receive a paycheck in a week or two. By faith, I will receive a paycheck within a week or two. I said by faith, I will receive a paycheck within a week or two. Did you get it? I do all that is require within my job descriptions—all the tasks wrapped with my knowledge, my wisdom, my personality, my gifts, my talents, and my will. All that I have developed to be from what God enable me to be. I give to an employer – a company.
The workday ends and I begin the routine of going back home. I put all my objects safely away. I make certain my computer has been turnoff as required by the technical department for “security purposes.” I get up from my work area, and I say to my co-workers “all of you have a good evening” and they would respond, “Have a good one”! I began to walk toward the elevator and wait at the elevator with all the other 5 to 10 employees. Some employees looking directly at a blank elevator door while one or two people press the elevator down button. While others are saying to them self, “they are messing with the electrical components, making the elevator slow to come.” The elevator doors opens and the coworkers pile into the elevator trying not to breathe heavily while others engage in conversation talking over your head.
The elevator reaches the first floor, your coworkers pour into the corridor, out the doors of the building, onto the streets, and the way we go. This time of the day is hectic. More people awoke. More people walking on the sidewalks. This time people are bumping into you. You briefly smile and say “ouch”! You and other folks are waiting at the bus stop. There are the “chimney people.” These folks smoke cigarettes to avoid the issues in their lives. There are the “damnation people.” These folks use words and phrases of damnation and hopelessness. There are the “complaining people.” These people complain and complained and complained – nothing or no one is right. They are the only ones who can complain without given an answer or resolution for the problems in which they complain. Then there are the “do-not-look-at-me-or-I-will-curse-you-out people.” I will leave this one alone for now. Then there are the folks, like me, who just listen and give a word of encouragement or phrase somewhere in the conversations.
While all of this is going on – the people pushing and shoving – folks cursing and belittling one another- the horns blowing – all the craziness of rude behaviors and selfishness–“BOOM”!
The tragedy begins.
A truck driver loses control by trying to avoid hitting someone who ran into his pathway. The shock of what occurred slowly coming into motion. The truck swerves into the back of a car into another lane. The police comes. The ambulance comes. The firefighters comes. All have come together – working together to save a man trapped in the back of the car. Later, we find out that he is 47-year-old married with two children. Although he survived the accident, he is now paraplegic; he will never be the same again. His family will never seen their father walking, running, or dancing; He will need each one of them for every minute of his life.
Lives have gone from being SOLID to now being threads. The people waiting on the public bus witnessed. Those walking up and down the busy sidewalks witnessed. The truck driver witnessed. The stranger who ran into the pathway of the truck witnessed. The people in the car witnessed. The once healthy man who is now a paraplegic witnessed – everyone witnessed. Yet, only one reality – the once healthy man who is now a paraplegic. Everyone else went on with their lives. Maybe for a moment they thought about the man. Maybe for a moment they thought it could have been them. But, only for one moment – maybe they thought a little deeper – appreciate life a little more – just maybe.
No one knows when a tragic accident will occur.
No one knows when a sickness or injury will occur to prohibit your physical body.
No one knows when a sudden death devastate our entire world – destroying ones faith
No one knows when our job will end and there is no longer an income to establish his or hers lifestyles.
No one knows when a stranger will stop saying “hello” or when the bus or elevator will come.
No one knows…
The tragedy is when we do not realize how SOLID are lives are until we are force to mend the treads of some-thing we did not foresee.