“We all have different gifts…” – Romans 12:6
I am always amazed and appreciative of the gifts my friends possess. Three stories:
I slept in Saturday morning after the big storm. It must have been around midnight when the rain and wind knocked down the big limb.
Our granddaughter’s car needed a way out of the garage for her to drive back to college, but that wasn’t going to happen, unless I got help.
The text to my tree business friend, the one with the Subaru and a dog, brought a quick reply – “Sorry man, that storm covered us up, I wish you’ve have asked sooner. I’ll put you on the list but it could be a month.”
That wouldn’t do so my reply showed only pictures. I thought about adding one of a coed crying but decided not to include too much drama.
He said he’d swing by; then, two days later, on Monday morning, his crew had my drive all clear. Now the coed could get to her car.
I’m happy for friends with a dog and a Subaru and the gift for working in tall trees.
My shoulders were tight, uncomfortable at night.
My friend, the massage therapist who also teaches yoga said to put down my device. I knew she was right, but what else could I do? I’m glad my friend had a friend with different gifts, maybe her gifts could unstick my shoulders that were stuck.
A quick visit and voilà her dry needles did the trick on my shoulders and brought with them a new friend. My shoulders were the victim and the perpetrator was more than my device. It’s good to have friends with gifts who have friends with gifts.
Running into that little table was painful, I won’t lie. The surprise collision that dark morning took the bark off my shin and it hurt.
I took my damaged leg to a local market with a whole department packed with strange sounding things in tubes and bottles and such. They might be holistic or homeopathic or naturopathic, but that’s another story that we’ll save for later.
Anyway, it was in the market where my friend with the funny hat, who goes to nursing school at night and works at the store in the day, said she could help. She reached for a jar of Manuka honey that had traveled all the way from New Zealand. In a few days I was well and the honey taste great to boot.
I like friends who work all day and then study all night and have the gifts to care for me when I’m hurt. As she would say, “That Rocks!”
These stories each have happy endings because they’re about friends with gifts, helping friends.
It’s always about more than price when there’s a relationship at the center of the transaction.
I’ve tried to think of a gift to repay my friends. What can I do? I shouldn’t climb trees with a chain saw and I don’t think sticking someone with needles would be good. As for pulling jars from a shelf that have strange sounding names, I don’t think that would be wise either.
So until I find something to do, I’ll just keep practicing my gift of saying hello with a smile, welcoming the stranger, and picking up trash. That’s what I’ll do.
What are your gifts? How do you help others? And when you need something done – do you go for the lowest price or do you have relationships aplenty in life?
As always, the conversation starts here.
Thank you for your gift of writing and sharing wisdoms. I’d also like to thank Dane at Curtious Carpet Care for helping me clean up after a friends good dog last week 😂😂😂. A good friend indeed!!!!
Yep, Frances, that’s what it’s all about – friends helping friends any way they can. And I’ll bet you didn’t get three bids before calling Dane and saying, “Come quick!”
The more people I know, the more skills I discover, and I’m happy about that.
– Bruce
I love this one Bruce! Everything happens in life with and because of other people. And I like that everyone, even the store clerk is considered a friend beacause they are helping us in some small way and sometimes even in a big way. Were all a part of the web of life connected in more ways than we can imagine.
Thank you, Christina – yes, it’s said that all of us are only six degrees apart; and I’ve found our separation can be reduced when we take a moment to visit, to get to know each other better. It’s also said that we are most truly ourselves when we’re alone, all by ourselves. It’s expected of me to smile and say hello when I see someone I know – a friend – but when I’m alone and meet a stranger, like a clerk in the store, is when I’m most myself. It’s okay, I guess, to just swipe my card… Read more »
Always read your “choices” posts but seldom comment even though most are very thought provoking. Today I connected to the tree down experience. We had a storm 2-3 weeks ago that took out half a double trunked, 50-60 foot pine tree. Don’t have a friend in the tree service business but called the owner of a business I had used years ago and has done business in this area for years. Everybody was busy and he really didn’t want my business. His bid was $7500. That sent me looking for other bids. I got 2 recommendations and while looking up… Read more »
Hi Ken –
I’m sorry about your tree, but I’m glad how the tree introduced you to Antonio, your new Mexican friend. Maybe, as the two of you get to know each other better, you can find more work for Antonia and his crew of hard working, family oriented folks. You could even write a recommendation for him with the BBB.
It’s good to have friends, no matter where they come from – even if it’s out of our comfort zone.
– Bruce
Today’s conversation was priceless. Thank you for your gift of knowledge and experience through storytelling. I was impressed with your understanding of my industry. You didn’t just address my immediate concerns, but included detailed preparation that was vital to the inception of my company through its growth and even into an exit strategy. I was grateful for the opportunity to discuss the basics that were initially presented to you but the care you took to analyze the flow of my business from start to finish and generosity of time to share them was appreciated. This is a perfect example of… Read more »
Thomas –
You are welcome. I too enjoyed our time on Saturday morning. You already have a solid two-year-o business that you should be very proud of. Now you want to take it to the next level. Bravo!
You’re on the right track and have a clear view of how to get there. The stories and examples I used are the easy part, the hard part is up to you. So roll up your sleeves (something you do every day now) and go to work. You’ll do great.
Stay in touch.
– Bruce
The gift you have is peace and gentleness in a pretty tough world right now. You give the gift of time. And I loved the phrase, “took the bark off my shin…”
Glenda –
Thanks for reading and for leaving a comment. Yes, the world does seem tough right now. I pray it will get better as we all do the little things that matter, like “welcoming strangers and picking up trash.” Just maybe it’s the little things that matter the most.
HaHa, I’m glad you like that line.
– Bruce