A Sweet Ending...

This morning was one of those mornings where very little went right. I don’t know what the problem with me was this morning. Perhaps I did not get enough sleep. I walked into work and the agitation began. I can’t really explain all of the issues that are going on at work but it was a frustrating morning. To sum it all up, I have a ton of work to do and not enough time to do it all. I tell myself to just put in an honest day’s work and don’t worry about what you do or do not get done. It just seems like there is no end or relief in sight. Some days I deal with this better than others.

Today I did a horrible job of dealing with the stress and it resulted in anger. I saw what was happening but felt powerless to stop it. Finally, at lunch I found some relief. I went to mass and asked God for His forgiveness and His help in dealing with the different issues. It was a good mass. I am not sure that I was able to get myself in the most prayerful mood. For whatever reason, the agitation was hard to let go of and leave at the foot of the cross.

I heard the readings but they did not lead me to any deep reflection like the ones last week. It’s not that the readings were any less meaningful today. I just don’t think that I was in the proper state to receive them. Before mass the agitation and frustration felt like an infection that I could not get rid of. It taught me a good lesson in making sure that there is adequate time to place you in the proper prayerful state before mass. I felt more peace when I left mass, but I certainly was not looking forward to going back to work.

I had to go to another department for most of the afternoon. It was good to be out of the office for a while. One of my co-workers called me a couple of my times on my cell phone but I could not answer. I finally called him back close to around five o’clock. He wanted to know if he could have a piece of the pie that was sitting on my desk. I asked him what pie he was talking about. Apparently while I was out of the office, an older couple who I helped with a problem more than a year ago was in town and dropped off a chocolate pie for me as a way of saying thank you. This couple is special to me for various reasons. They were one of the first couples that I was able to help when I was new to my current assignment. They were just a really neat couple and I was glad that I could make a difference for them. They always seem to show up at the right times.

A few months ago, I was having a morning similar to this one. I was questioning whether or not I wanted to remain in my current assignment and was considering making a change. Later that afternoon this couple showed up to ask me for some advice on an issue. The question they had for me did not pertain directly to my line of work, but they trusted me and wanted to know what I had to say. It was good to see them and great to give them a hug. They were able to remind me why it is that I do what I do. They are the reason that I am able to make it through the difficult moments and the stressful times. Being able to help people in that way is why I got into my job in the first place.

When I returned from work I found the pie on my desk with a note from the couple that simply said, “Enjoy.” I found out that many people were pacing back and forth wondering who the pie was from and if they could have a piece. Suffice to say, I shared the pie and I shared the story of the couple who brought the pie. I was embarrassed by how I had acted earlier in the day. I thank God for the subtle reminder and the sweet ending to my day. Even though I had stumbled and erred in my ways, God picked me up, dusted me off, and showed me His love.

As sweet as the pie was, it will not last. My relationship with the couple and the reminder of what it means to truly help people will remain. My God and His love for me will reign for eternity. The sweetest ending to this day will be reconciling myself with God and His Church through the holy sacrament of confession. I hope all is well with each of you.

Pax Tecum,

Tom