Twas the day between Hanukah and Christmas...

Twas the day between Hanukah and Christmas, 
and all through the town, 
not a sadness was stirring 
not even a frown…

A large bit of luck and magic was part of my day today. This morning, I was concerned that I had lost touch with a Hispanic woman who had worked at a snack stand at the hotel across from my work for twenty years or more. I had seen her each “work morning” for several years when I stopped by for a muffin or scone on my way to work.

We had always smiled and greeted each other warmly, an exchange I had with a number of great people who I met each day on the street, or working at the hotel. This was my little morning community and there were plenty of smiles and warm greetings to go around.

But during the summer, she let me know that the snack stand was closing and she was likely to lose her job, and there would be no severance package for her. She asked me for advice and I did some research and tried to advise about who she might talk to, to help her, but I also told her I was very optimistic that somehow it would work out, and she trusted me and was smiling again. The snack stand and my friend were there for many days after, and we smiled warmly each day.

But suddenly, one day the snack stand was gone, and there was no sign of my friend. For a few weeks, the snack stand site was under construction and I hoped that a new and improved snack stand would open and my friend would be back. But a few weeks ago the construction ended and there was a new lobby, no snack stand, and no sign of my friend.

I worried that I had guided her poorly and was too optimistic, but I still had some hope that all would work out.

Several weeks passed and still no sign of my friend.

This morning I shared my worry for the first time with another friend and felt somewhat guilty that I had not done enough for my snack stand friend. I rarely go to lunch on my work days because work has been way too busy, but today by chance was less busy at work and I went to lunch at another restaurant in the hotel. And suddenly my friend appeared with a huge smile and had warm words for me. She had been rehired by the hotel in their larger restaurant and was earning more, and fully safe and secure.

My day between Hanukah and Christmas was truly one filled (or philled) with a whole lot of luck and magic, and I felt that I was given this great gift.

We had “lucked out” this time. But in the New Year, I knew that while smiles and warm greetings can go a long way, we also need to do a little more for each other’s well-being. Happy holidays and to all a good day and night of warm greetings.