Service And A Smile…

Big things happening this morning.  Unexpected things.  Out of left-field things.  Things I was not expecting to have surface.  I loved every minute of it!  Even if it did make me choke up a bit.  Those ladies in the Spirits of Joy group really know how to get things moving!

So, a big topic this morning was being of service to others.  One of the ladies (she glitters and sparkles by the way, seriously) mentioned how she KNOWS she is meant to serve.  Another one in a round about way knows that she is meant to serve others.  I have known in some since a very young age that I was placed by God on this wonderful Earth to serve others. I mean, come on, I stood on the stage during Nursery School graduation and stated that I wanted to be a maid when I grew up!  If that’s not wanting to serve others than I don’t know what is.  What’s even funnier is if you know me in real life, cleaning is no where NEAR being my specialty or calling in life.  This memory makes my Dad laugh until this day.

If I were to look back on the variety of jobs I have held in my life, they are all service related.  Whether it was working retail, in a physical therapy office, at the state park, in the highly dreaded call center or even in the prison.  Yes, you read that last one correctly.  I was a Corrections Officer.  Highly emotional, high sensitive me was a Corrections Officer.  I loved it.  I hated it.  A lot of good came out of it.  One of my most prized possessions came out of working in the facility.  Something so simple, yet so beautiful.  Something that I shouldn’t even be in possession of because of who gave it to me.



This card was hand drawn by one of the inmates with supplies he was able to obtain through commissary and/or visitors.  Oh, and another one of the guys helped color the border if I’m remembering correctly.  Hey, you have you give credit where credit is due!   I remember my last night working there quite well.  I told a handful of the guys ahead of time I was leaving, much to their dismay.  These men were in there for mistakes and poor choices they made, but at the end of the day they are still people.  Some of the guys realized that what they did was wrong and were very apologetic.  Others, not so much.  Many of the other officers lost sight of that and treated them as less than (and they wondered why they were so hated by inmates).  They didn’t believe in the good of these men.  Many didn’t take the time to just listen or be patient.  By me being me, it went a long way.  I mean seriously, how many people can say they made multiple inmates cry?!  And no, not from being sprayed with pepper spray.  I didn’t realize how much me being me meant to the majority of them.  Even sitting here remembering this is helping me realize that yes, I do need to serve others. 

I don’t know how I am meant to be of service.  Some of my biggest joys are just listening to others and putting a smile on a strangers face.   Even though I may be bringing peace, happiness, and a smile to someone else, I’m bringing all of that back to myself.  Helping others helps me.

As I go through the rest of my day, a list or lists will be written.  Lists of traits, realizations and dreams.  I need to keep my eyes open and continuously realize that yes, God HAS placed a calling on me.! Now to just figure out how to share it with the world in the gentle way it needs to be done.  If I lose track, I need to just take a look at that card as a reminder.