The Resolutionist

            

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these."  George Washington Carver

Having nearly attained the sixth decade of my existence or, as the current object of my affection likes to put it, “Pushing the big 6-0” I find myself in a self-reflective state.  It is the advent of yet another year on this journey and this seems as good a time as any to speak of things yet to come.  Open all the closets.  Break out the cleaning and dusting supplies.  Decide which goes and what must be done in the next 365 some of days.  Turn myself into, once more, a hypocrite and sluggard.  Making plans for the change in behavior dictated by the metaphorical scrubbing, vacuuming, and cleansing performed is the plan.  What will, as historically evidenced, occur as a result is not much change and even less actual achievement of intended yet non-existent goals.

The tradition of making resolutions has always brought me to a place where I vow to erase procrastination from my life.  Substantiation of my indolence lies before you in this post.  I have known for months that it was to be written and submitted, and yet, here I am bumping a deadline for the Eleventh and just now getting words on paper while imploring the Lord God and the moderator of this blog to allow that I have made it in time.

Having established the futility of resolution for the New Year, at least in my life, I think I wish to share something that has given me hope for the new future.  I recently experienced a period without the advantage of personal transportation.  I was reliant on friends for rides and assistance performing day to day errands (doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, etc.) and favors.  It created a level of chaos and frustration in my life and the relief from this stress came from, I believe, God.

I meet God in everything that happens in my life.  I particularly enjoy meeting him in unexpected places.  I meet him when I ask for help and this is grace given that I have definite negative feelings about having been reduced to making Blanche Du Bois statements, and accepting what is there.

I did receive, however, an offer of a ride from an unexpected source.

A rather attractive young lady I know came up and offered me rides to the meeting.  She is many years younger than me, and we have a nice friendship derived exclusively from attendance at a local Twelve Step meeting.  She has quite a few years less time in recovery than I do, and I truly respect her for the struggle she has gone through to find the miracle we share.  She is a single mother of her own child and a niece who needed a safe place to live.  This sweet young lady earns a living as a server at a buffet restaurant and works long hours when you factor in the time it takes to parent two children.  She has a boyfriend as well, who desires portions of her time to do boyfriend stuff.  That does not leave much time for her to see to the transportation needs of a grumpy old man.

I told her not to worry about me, that I would find rides and that she should focus on more important things that demand her time.  I thanked her and gave her a hug and told her how much I appreciated her offer.

She quite directly told me to stop acting like a brat.

I laughed at this and reminded her that due to our age difference she might not want to speak to someone old enough to possibly be her grandfather in that tone.  She told me that a brat was a brat no matter what the age.  She smiled at me, told me to call her to get a ride and walked away.

I went about my business and have not had much trouble finding rides.  Sitting in my sanctum one Saturday night, I was enjoying a sumptuous repast of meat loaf and mashed potatoes (I LOVE meat loaf and mashed potatoes) when the phone growled at me.  

“T?  This is _____, how are you?”  I replied that all was well in my world and she liked that.  “I’m just seeing if you need a ride to a meeting.”  I told her of my good fortune that day in making two meetings and thanked her for her concern.  “Well, I WILL pick you up if you need to go to a meeting!”

After once more thanking her, I asked her if she would be at the early meeting the next day, and that my friend is picking me up.  I told her I hoped to see her and hung up.   I had to get off the phone because I found myself fighting back the moisture that seemed to be percolating in my eyes.  This sweet young lady, with two kids, and a boyfriend, took time out of her Saturday night to see if I needed a ride to a meeting that might just save my life.

If that is not looking into the face of God, what is?

Author Bio –

T. Lloyd Reilly is a writer and former school teacher with over twenty five years of writing experience. He has lived what some would consider more than one lifetime and have gained a wide range of knowledge and life experience which he wishes to share through generous application of the written word.  Prior to becoming a full time writer , he has worked as a school teacher,  truck driver, equipment operator, ranch manager , HIV/AIDS counselor, market researcher, short order cook, long order cook, bartender, bouncer, taxi driver, explosives handler, telemarketer, suicide counselor, crisis counselor, Halfway house manager, rock n' roll roadie, dispatcher, convenience store clerk, desktop publisher, office manager, secretary, industrial safety consultant, literacy instructor, industrial trainer, roughneck, construction worker, and, US Army soldier.

He has been published and fervently wishes to publish more.

Website: http://about.me/tlloydreilly