Just Like Her

We are impacted by other people. It’s just a fact of living.

Sometimes for good. Sometimes bad.

And sometimes, it changes your life.

I have a friend. I’ll call her ‘Carmen’.

She is one of those people you can call a true friend. Kind. Understanding. Patient. Incredibly talented.

And there when you need them . . .

The small community in which I lived was peopled primarily by farm folk.

Men and women who had settled the land, carved out the acres.

Planted crops.

And raised families.

Many of their children had returned to raise their families.

The circle of farm life.

Husby and I were a part of that secondary group.

We had several small children. Husby had a full-time job. I ran the household and sold stitchery.

And we both had community and church commitments.

At times these duties necessitated our leaving our children in the care of others for a few hours.

Mostly, we left them with grammas.

But occasionally, that avenue wasn’t available.

And that was when we would throw ourselves on the mercy of our friends.

The conversation usually went something like this:

Me: “Hi! It’s Diane.”

Friend: “Hi!”

Me: “I’m sorry to ask you this on such short notice, but I need to ask a favour.”

Friend: “What is it?”

I would proceed to ask the favour and they would accept or refuse and I would (A) Bring them my kids, or (B) Start dialing again.

But there was one household in which the conversation went—a bit differently. ‘Carmen’s’.

There, it more closely followed these lines:

Me: “Hi! It’s Diane!”

Carmen: “Hi!”

Me: “I’m sorry to ask you this on such short notice, but I need to ask a favour.”

‘Carmen’: “Sure! I’d love to!”

See the difference?

Though she probably suspected what I was about to ask, she never made me feel as though my upcoming question was an imposition. (And, let’s face it, it probably was.)

I decided I wanted to do the same.

Be the same.

Make whoever asked me for a favour feel they were doing me said favour.

I’m sure I stumble. I’m sure I have, at times, been ungracious.

But I’m trying.

Someday, I’ll be like ‘Carmen’.