As I was walking through Walmart today, there was a woman in a wheel chair shopping and seemingly needed assistance grabbing something from the shelf. I am assuming she didn’t have use of her arms as she was grabbing with her toes. I hesitated offering myself to her. I didn’t want to make her, in anyway, feel like a charity case or in need. I know that this can be offensive. However, the ME in me, made me ask anyway. “Ma’am, can I help you grab something?” She replied, “No thank you. I’ve got it.”
I walked away and headed over to the plumbing section to finish my shopping. As I searched for the appropriate aisle to turn down, I ran into another person who was wheelchair bound. This man had no legs and his arms stopped at his elbow. I didn’t ask him if he needed help. He seemed to be doing just fine. In fact, he told me to go ahead of him.
Anyway, I started thinking about the state that I find myself in and how I’ve allowed it to effect me. I started thinking about those two very brief interactions I had with those two people. Both, the woman and the man that I had come across, were limited in some way or another and it was outside of their control. I then started thinking about how blessed I am to be able to help in whatever capacity I am able. I felt remorseful.
It is my belief that we all have special and unique roles that we were born to play out in life. These roles are our purposes. In my many quests trying to understand my purpose(s) of being here and “learning my place” I have always been lead to one very consistent belief. I am here to service. I am a giver and nurturer. I love helping people. I have a unique gift of making people smile when they may have gone their entire day without doing so. People trust me and I’ve been told on numerous occasions that I have a “magnetic personality”. I guess you can say that I am here for the people. YASSSSS! HERE FOR THE PEOPLE!!! lol Okay seriously. When I first started this blog I touched on my belief that I have saved lives. I said I would explain later. Say hello to Later! lol
I can name numerous times when I have had moments with complete strangers that will not only keep their encounter with me as a “forever memory” but I think that many of those instances may have very well changed the course of their lives in some way. NOW LETS BE CLEAR. I am not IN ANY WAY claiming to be some sort of God or anything, but I do know I’m special in this way. Here is an example, so that maybe you can understand what I’m TRYING to say.
One year (2013 I think) I was at Universal Studios with a group of people and as we stood in line for something (don’t recall what it was) there was a lady and her son ( I think) in front of me. Me, being me, I somehow started a conversation with the two which lead to her laughing hysterically and at some point it turned into a sob. She hugged me and she cried. At that moment I had no idea why. Her son explained that the lady had recently lost her brother or husband and had not been outside out of the house since. That day was her first day out, but as she hugged me and cried she told me, “Thank you.” That lady needed that moment. I know she will always remember it, because I definitely will. I actually ran across the photo a little while back.
This is just one example of MANY that I have of this nature. Who am I to not live in my purpose? Years back I struggled with allowing circumstances and/or people to change the very things that make me, me. Doing so, would only taint my very being. My purpose for being here. I would be robbing myself of fulfilling my destiny. No one or no thing is worth that. My last post was a very emotional one and I truly am in need of self care, but I will never again complain about what I was put here to do. I will, instead, recognize when it is time for me to take time for myself and also understand that doing so is not only ok, but essential.
The night of my last post someone texted this to me:
Even social butterflies need to retreat into their own cocoon sometimes.
This was perfect.
I AM EBONY 