same day different people

this morning began in a hotel near the beach, waiting for turns at the waffle machine and who should appear at the front desk only feet away but the most important man in the world. he must have been the most important man for he stormed through the door and loudly demanded the attention of the desk clerk who was on the phone booking 50 rooms. "isn’t my money more important than your phone call?" he yelled. the desk clerk asked him to wait for a moment. the man insisted he could not, would not wait and demanded to know the cost of a room. when his question was answered he stormed out the door to drive away and inflict hmself on other poor unsuspecting souls.

this afternoon we stopped at a fast food place and parked the car. comming out of the foodery was a couple on their 60s dressed for a funeral by my best guess and escorting the woman’s mother back into the parking lot. as the lady in her 60s reached the curb she stepped down and turned to face her mother, took both of her hands gently and helped her down off of the curb onto the parking lot. then she proceeded to carefulky walk the older woman to their car.

i later thought how very different the two people had acted on the same day. one had been full of self importance rudness and bluster and the other had been exceedingly kind.

oh lord, remind me of this every moring when i awake.