Life's lessons...

I volunteered at Meals on Wheels today and helped fold and stuff envelopes for their annual fundraiser. What a wonderful service they provide to the community! The office and kitchen staff are hard workers who are very caring and helpful. The people who volunteer to deliver the meals are rays of sunshine, who not only bring food to the clients, but also informally check in on them to see if all is well. And all this happens in a friendly teamwork atmosphere-kind of like a well-oiled machine. [well, most of the time!]

I hadn't seen Amy since the summertime. She and my son went to the same high school and marched together in Marching Band. She is a 27 year old phenomenal teacher whose life took a dramatic turn 2 years ago. She had gotten a special ed teaching position in Baltimore, and while walking to her car in a shopping mall, Amy was hit by a drunk driver and seriously hurt. She is lucky to be alive. She did quite a lot of physical therapy and rehab and returned to teaching...not the special ed kids in her regular job that she prepared for in college; it is the rest of the world who can learn many a lesson from her. Amy is a positive, upbeat, smiling force who enriches the lives of those who are fortunate to meet her. She is fun. And she exhibits a positive attitude unlike anything I have witnessed in my lifetime. Difficult to wrap your mind around it. And so, today, she lifted my spirits, as we folded fliers and stuffed envelopes, and chatted and sang along with the radio's seasonal music. I'm not even into the seasonal music, but I am into singing! And when we kindred spirits meet [and both lefties, too!] and smiling vibes are a-happening...well...ya just gotta love it!

Amy will be volunteering on Tuesdays, and I will try to be there, too. God bless her. I am fortunate that our paths have crossed.