Mindfulness While Waiting in Line at the Bank

Here is a story about coincidences, grace and gratitude.  It comes from our friend Mary Hatlestad in Denver

Thank you for the  Advent article about giving and receiving gifts. I read it twice and it reminded me of why I have started to look at long lines at the bank in a different way.

In early November, I got a text message from my son Dan asking the name of the Lakewood police officer who is the son of my friends in England. This policeman began his job in Lakewood 6 1/2 years ago, and about that same time I met his parents, Mary and Richard, who were visiting from England. We met when they came to the museum where I work. His parents and I became friends and I visited them in the UK two years ago. And we always get together when they come here to visit their son and his family.

Dan said that a police officer had been killed. What is the name of their son? I quickly returned the text, knowing that surely he was not the one. But he was.

When Mary and Richard arrived from England for the funeral, the Lakewood police asked me to accompany them to the airport. Mary held my hand all the way back to Lakewood. Later, at the funeral, she asked me to escort James' two friends who had also come from the UK. One is a banker in London, the other a bobby in Surrey. During the long procession back to the reception hall after the service, they watched as hundreds of people stood by the roadside with their hands over their hearts or saluting, some on their knees. "We would never do this in the UK" one of them said. It was truly beautiful, all along the many miles from the church to the reception at the county fairgrounds.

That was a gift to James' family from hundreds of police officers from all over the country as well as the just ordinary citizens paying their respects.

The two hoped to get to the mountains for a hike, but since they had no car (and probably shouldn't drive here on their wrong side of the road), I asked Erik and his college roommate if they'd take the two Brits into the mountains. They had a wonderful day, although the lack of sleep and the altitude almost did them in. I'm not sure they even tasted dinner afterward at Dan and Lesia's home.

The police department gave each of the young men a check for their expenses and the next day  police officers helped them cash the checks at a bank.

Sometimes it seems like the line at a bank is endless and I become a bit impatient: " If they'd just stop the chitchat at the window, it would go faster", I think to myself.

 
But the Brits had a different take: "Everyone here smiles. The people at the bank ask how my day is going. They take time to talk with me and answer a question. We never do that." And the banker should know.

So now when I stand waiting in line, I realize that I really can wait another minute when the  teller talks with a person who may need a friendly face.

And did God put me in that place 6 years ago so I could be the only non-uniformed friend their age to be there for them at this time? Thank you, God.

Long story, but I do think there are all kinds of gifts, even from a bank teller.

Mary