Many of you dont know me and most dont know much about me. I decided this morning to post of my favorite Thanksgiving stories. It has nothing to do with being the police, but everything to do with how I became the person I am.
I grew up in a huge family, 11 children. I consider my mother a saint. One of my jobs in the household was to help with the laundry. You all know how much laundry you accumulate. Imagine laundry for 13.
One Thanksgiving, my mother decided we needed to get laundry done. So, she and I loaded all the clothes into our station wagon. My mother liked to get to the laundromat early so we could take up a whole row of machines and get it all done at the same time. The machines didnt have a coin slot, there was a master machine covered with buttons that controlled all the machines. One of my favorite parts was to put in the coins and push all the buttons. (Some people say I still push people's buttons). We loaded up a whole row of washers and went to do some shopping. The laundromat was in a strip mall that had a Jewel grocery store at one end and a National Tea at the other. As we were leaving I noticed an elderly woman quietly sitting in the waiting area. She had on a cloth coat, buttoned all the way up and held a purse on her lap. I thought it was odd because no other machines were going.
My mother and I shopped at the Jewel and came back to move the clothes from the washers to the dryers. The woman was still sitting in the same place. I looked like she hadnt moved. My mother and I then went to the National to finish shopping. My mother got the Wednesday paper everyweek to find out which store had sales and to clip coupons. We then shopped at each store picking up the sale items. After we finished at the grocery we went back to the laundromat to fold the clothes. The woman was still there.
My mother went over to the woman (a complete stranger) and invited her to come home with us for Thanksgiving dinner. She politely thanked my mother and told her she was waiting for someone. Doing the laundry for 13 people takes several hours. The woman sat there the entire time. Before we left my mother again invited the woman for dinner.She had a tear on her cheek, but again said no thank you.
I gained a new appreciation for the good hearted woman my mother is. In her mind, no one should be alone (even a stranger) on Thanksgiving. Even though we had a full house, there was always room for one more. My mother truly knew how to share her blessings.
I pray that I am half the woman my mother is. I thank God she is still with me. She is truly a blessing. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and remember to thank God for your own blessings.
