Different Kinds of Hope

Today is the first day that I have been to work since I've started the blog. This fact makes me feel that I have been incredibly lazy for the past week. I don't feel too bad about that, given that I am on break, but I do wish I had been more productive. Oh well, I can't go back and change that.

I work at my dad's UPS Store as a clerk and as a graphics designer. It is a very good job and I really do enjoy it, especially since we have consistently nice customers.

Today, we had a lot of genuinely nice and interesting customers. Two in particular stood out in my mind;

The first one that came in was a younger woman (probably in her thirties or so). She was shipping out a few late Christmas presents and I noticed some of the items came from Kohls. I commented on it, saying how much I loved the store, and she replied that she enjoyed it as well, particularly because they had very nice baby clothes. She then proceeded to tell me how she had just recently had a beautiful baby girl! I congratulated her and we proceeded to talk about baby things and got on the topic of me knitting, etc. This customer was just so happy the entire time she was talking and it was wonderful to just see someone with so much hope for the future; for herself, for her baby girl, and for her whole family. I love hearing about new life in the world, especially when the mother is just so happy about her new child.

The second customer was an older gentleman who came in to make copies. He was wearing a lot of Virginia Tech clothing, so I asked him if he was a fan. He said yes, and continued saying that that is where his daughter had gone to college. He was excited to hear that that is where I am going and we talked generally about the college. He then went on to tell me that his daughter had died of cancer just last year. I gave my condolences and we continued to talk as he made copies. He remained very optimistic throughout the conversation and I just found it so uplifting that people can overcome such painful loss, especially a parent losing their child. I simply cannot imagine the pain and devastation parents in that situation must feel. To see him so hopeful and in good spirits was very inspirational.

After he had finished, I glanced to see what he had made copies of. It was copies from a short story called "Letting Go". I asked him about it and he told me he was making copies of it for parents who are coping with their children just going into college. It was a story, he said, to help them with letting their children become independent as they transition from childhood to adulthood. He then wished me good luck in my first year of college and I wished him a good day as he left.

I found it so fascinating that while these two people had completely contrasting events occuring if their lives, they were still so hopeful for the future. They both had such optimistic outlooks on life and it just made my day better talking to these people and sharing in their hope and happiness and faith. It just goes to show, starting a small conversation with someone can lead to such great insight to the good that really does exist in a world that can at times seem so chaotic and backwards.

Well, nothing more happening today aside from baking more bread.

Until tomorrow!