Thank you people I will never see again. Thank you for your “labor of generosity.”
Last Friday, we were helping our daughter move apartments. We had borrowed a truck for the move and I had been driving it all day through a couple of trips. On the final leg, as I was about to parallel park in a perfect spot right across the apartment complex on a vintage narrow street in Seattle, the truck died.
I turned the key. Click, click, click. Nada.
You know how you get that queasy feeling that no matter how many times you turn the key the vehicle won’t start? I had it.
The car behind me started honking. Barb and my daughter were walking down the sidewalk right at that time. I jumped out and asked the driver behind me to go around (which on that street would have been tight). The driver jumped out and said, “Oh…it won’t start?” Do you need help?”
Quickly, he and three others jumped out of their car to lend a hand. Barb took control of the wheel as we tried to manually parallel park the fully loaded truck. Two bicyclists came by and asked if they could help. Soon we had a full team expertly parking the truck in a safe place, with easy access to unload. We thanked them profusely as they smiled and departed. I actually think they had fun!
The alternator that was the cause of the issue could have gone out at any point of any part of the trip, so we were fortunate. We were also fortunate for that “labor of generosity” from strangers.
While we spend this Monday enjoying what is hopefully a restful and relaxing day away from labor, I encourage all of you to think about what “labor” we can provide to others. Where can we lend a hand to those who can never repay us; may never see us; and maybe not even know that we’d helped?
Labor Day is a day to refresh from our professional labors. As we head into the stretch run of this calendar year, I hope we will never take time off from the “labor of generosity” to our fellow humans.
Happy Labor Day.
Quote of the Week:
”Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.”
~ Iris Murdoch (20th century Irish author)
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