This week’s focus point –

Unexpected Treasures.

This past Saturday, Barb, myself, and several fellow Toastmasters went to a local nursing home for our annual Christmas reading. The “house was packed” for our chance to regale these wonderful people with Christmas story readings.

My selection was the classic, Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. I was blithely surprised that almost all the residents not only knew the poem, but actually remembered the verses. So much so that I never had to end a line. I simply gave up control and let them ring out the final few words to each verse. In fact, one lovely lady was happily pronouncing every word of the poem. The reading was the first of the afternoon and brought a great deal of energy to the rest of the event.

Here’s the moral of the story. I am as guilty as the next person of overlooking the value that other people bring. I thought I was there to serve a group of elderly people. In fact, they served each of us and each other. When given the chance to excel, people will rise to the challenge. The key is, we have to allow them that opportunity.

This week’s quote – “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Clarence Odbody, Guardian Angel