The alarm went off at 7:00 and I groaned. Oh my goodness was I tired! I showered, dressed, walked Maddie and proceeded to assemble baskets and bags of cookies baked the night before. Then the phone started ringing. First my cell, then the home phone, then my cell again. Not good, I thought, but I pressed on. This morning was the morning I met with the bank manager to discuss the forty cookies bags he wanted to order. After I finished everything, I stepped back to survey my work. Not bad, not bad at all. Oh no, it was 9:05 and I had to be to my meeting by 9:30. No time for pictures. No time for family challenges and drama. I jumped in the car with my wares and headed to the appointment. Family guilt got the best of me, so I placed a call to hear all the details. Not good and certainly something I don't want to talk about and don't want to think about. The bank meeting also didn't go the way I imagined. The bank manager wanted me to offer the bags at a bargain basement price because he was ordering forty. I know this is a tremendous opportunity to promote my business, but I don't have the resources to do it for free. After all, I am cash starved.
My cookies are hand crafted from the finest ingredients. They are chocked full of nuts, chocolate, dried fruit and hugs. They have value and damn it...so do I. I left a couple of bags full of cookies for the bank staff, smiled, shook hands and headed out the door with a new sense of self worth.
Lunch was one of the highlights of my day. Kat, my co-worker, and I met our client friends, Michael, Carolynn and Patrick for lunch at their company cafeteria. The food was amazing and reasonably priced. I treated the five of us to a great lunch for $29.00.
This afternoon I headed to Gainesville for work. I delivered cookies to Lee and the gang, but forgot to take a picture for my smile collection.
Then it was on to Micanopy at dusk to see my dad and deliver his cookies. "Downtown" Micanopy looked so dressed up in Christmas lights, especially the Herlong Mansion. If you have never experienced Micanopy, a small town outside of Gainesville, you really must go. For a moment, you will feel like you stepped back in time. In a place where everyone knows your name...and your business.
Which brings me to the philosophical part of my day...
As I drove back from Micanopy, I contemplated the events of the day...especially the family challenges. I thought about how one person's actions can affect so many. That a thoughtless act or series of acts, can have such a ripple affect. And I felt very sad. Then I remembered having a similar thought a few years ago, with a very different perspective. One of my clients had just passed away. He was the general manager of a large hotel and I had the pleasure of working with him for many years. He had a larger than life personality, was very demanding, a perfectionist and brought out the best in those around him. His service was held at the hotel he had built. As I headed into the ballroom for the service, I was amazed at the number of people...at least 300 in attendance. They represented all walks of life...from military generals to housekeeping personnel. And all had been positively affected by this one man. How amazing that one person's positive actions can have such a ripple affect on so many. This is how I want to live my life. Live it by "the Power of Good".
Many hugs,
Kathy
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