Grace and the Mexican restaurant

I forgot.
Well, almost.
Last Friday was S.B's retirement party and I had told her I was going.
And I did.
But almost didn't.

Thank the holy heavens that C. called and asked if I was still going.
Really--how does that happen?  I remembered I had something to do, but couldn't quite pin it down.
Duh.
So--Yay--C. called and I went for Mexican with all my working friends plus some spouses on the side. 

And being S.B's party she was slightly drunk on whiskey--while the rest of us were downing marquita's.  We all know she likes to drink (like most of us), which is why we're having the party at a Mexican place, rather than the library-- but I have to say she brought me to tears.
Ok.
Not hard to do.
But if you knew S.B, you wouldn't think she'd be able to do that...because
she is a woman who believes in rules. And policy.  There are no favorites with staff. Or patrons.  She did her job and left on time, while we all worked without getting paid.  That said, some co-workers found her more difficult.
I always respected her.
Immensely.
Anyone who can be plain honest--I respect.

So--when she came up and gave me a big hug and called me sweetie--well, first I knew the whiskey had set in..but then she continued...
She told me--while getting tears in her own eyes (again--not so much like her)..that I had been through a lot these past few years and she had never seen
someone handle it with so much grace.
And how fortunate my girls were to have this grace in their life.

She was being raw.
Honest.
Alittle drunk.
But --heartfelt and vulnerable.

Something I wish she showed more of to people--but what this made me realize is that we affect people in ways we can never know.
(Just like Tammie and her making her people laugh)
And thankfully--I got to know how I affected her.

This is one of my newer self-discoveries...understanding what I bring to others that I usually dismiss...

So--thank you S.B. for telling me about my grace.
It gives new meaning to the word.
As a kid--oh and adult, I'm rather clumsy and get called grace in a teasing way--now I even look at that different...I'll be graceful however I am.
xoxo.

Comments

Edie B. Kuhl said…
i love this! i always thought i'd name a little girl emily grace. (thank god i never had to!)
ahhh--:))) how sweet

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