Act As If

My gym is 18 minutes from my house; off the mountain and into the valley. It feels like a bit of a trek. Sometimes I plan errands to run straight after my workout. Because I am in a somewhat sweaty and I didn’t care to put makeup on this morning attitude, I go about my errands feeling {or hoping} to be invisible. I only had two stops to make today and my second and final was to pick up a book at the library. This stop, I felt certain, I could maintain my anonymity as my book was on hold and the self checkout ensured an easy in-and-out.

I noticed a few mothers with children in tow and thought, “I remember those days but am glad to be solo today. Library visits are much shorter and less complicated this way.

As I was going through the self checkout process a young girl, I am guessing about 8, approached me with a crayon colored page in hand.

“I colored this, would you like it?”

My initial reaction {why?} is to say “no” almost intuitively when I am offered something. Thankfully, I didn’t come straight out with “no” as I am a human with a beating heart. My “no” was a bit hidden…

“Oh, did you color that? Well, don’t you want to take it home and keep it?”

She didn’t answer me but just continued to look at me. Finally, I came to my conscious I want to be a nice person senses…

“What is your name?”

“Madeline.”

“Thank you, Madeline. My name is Kathleen. Thank you for the beautiful picture.”

She said nothing and returned to her family and I quickly exited the library.

As I was driving away I thought, I was just part of someone’s family summer service project. Madeline was probably prompted, I’m guessing by her mother, to find someone who looked like they needed a beautiful hand colored picture today. I mean I was under-dressed, probably looked exhausted and was alone. It was kind of funny, a little embarrassing but also endearing. When I got home, I knew just where to hang said picture.

Madeline’s art belonged right under a handcrafted banner presented to me after my Dad died by a dear friend. The statement “Act as if” was a piece of advice my Dad shared with me that has stayed with me for several decades. When you aren’t exactly sure or confident in stepping into a new situation or calling he told me to “Act as if I were someone who had already done _______ or who was _______ already…”

“Act as if…He is risen.”

What would that mean for me…to act as if He, in fact, is risen.

Suddenly my worldly cares or inhibitions seemed to melt away or at least blur into the background {of my dirty front windows} And the truth that I profess to believe appeared front and center in my remembrance.

My heart feels lighter, the music is easier to dance to and the people around me are opportunities rather than obligations.

Thank you Dad and Madeline.

Lessons learned:

I am never truly invisible.

I never know who is watching out for me.

It may be a surprising combo: Dad, Madeline’s mom, Madeline and yes, Him.

Act as if…

xoKathleen