The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Several years ago, someone told me, “Thank you for your service,” when I told them I had been a U.S. Army Chaplain. No one had ever said that to me before. I can remember being very touched by the comments.
Two days ago, I went to the Leon County Tax Collector’s office to pay a property tax bill. They have a number system and I was number 123. I pressed the button and got two numbers, 123 and 124. At the time they were on number 87. It took me nearly one hour and forty-five minutes to go from 87 to 123. There was an old gentleman who sat near me waiting for his turn. He had number 190. I thought to myself he would have to wait for three hours to get service at the window. I gave him my extra ticket number 124 just moments before my number was called. I had never seen him before and I think I will ever see him again.
I went to the counter #8 and the woman was very hyper because of the multitude of people in the waiting room. When she had finished giving me a receipt for my property tax check, I told her “Thank you for your service!” She was visibly touched and moved by what I said.
I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone would thank people for their service, meaning not just for helping them once, but for their lifetime of commitment to public service or health care? If you agree, just begin to tell people this simple greeting. You may not make a big difference in the world, but you will make the world of this person in front of you a little
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