...For Six Cents
I needed to mail a letter to Australia. I stuck an 84-cent stamp on but knew it needed more after the postal increase, so made my way to the post office. I looked in vain for some notice about postage increase numbers. If I knew the amount I could use the machine to buy the addtional postage. And of course the line was long, but I joined it. It's a pretty uptight place and dead silent, so I didn't have the nerve to force my way to a window to ask the simple question. Most likely it would not have been simple as there would be a discussion about the weight of the letter.
As I waited in line I was simply sizzling inside, fussing to myself about such a huge waste of time for one letter.
Halt! "Remember," I asked myself, "the times when I was in the habit of considering such lines and other unexpected 'wastes of time' as unclaimed opportunities?" It's all in the attitude, and I reprimanded myself. And then my eyes and ears opened wide. The music playing in the background became a melody. I studied the people around me. Did the woman two ahead of me pay a high price for her hair highlights, and did she know it was time to refresh the color? The heavy set weather-beaten man at the counter sounded so irritated that something wasn't working right. I wondered what all these things were that people were taking care of...so few were simply buying stamps or mailing packages.
I soon realized that I was relaxed and enjoying the time to look around and study people. I thought maybe I should spend some time praying, when the line moved quickly and I found myself at the counter. The lady charged me six cents while she excitedly showed me the new 90 cent overseas stamp. Just arrived that morning.
Will I ever learn? What a difference in my attitude and countenance as I sailed out of the P.O. ... not frustrated and angry, but actually a bit refreshed! And I only spent six cents for this lesson!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I find your post very refreshing, Ms. Podso. It is so true, isn't it. We become so absorbed in our busyness that we fail to see what is right around us.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bargain! One of our advertising lessons last year cost $500.01; lesson learned? It takes a long time to forgive oneself for paying to learn what you've been told since birth; "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Although, I guess the exception to that rule would be that you were born with ears that could hear!
ReplyDelete