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Friday, 25 August 2017

THERE ARE REASONS BY FIONA CUMMINGS


It’s four in the morning. It’s my most favourite time to write. But this morning apart from the beautiful silence from outside, which is a rarity, and the ticking from my clock my dogs, are confused by what time they should have left their bed seeing me coming downstairs as they half came to greet me with yawns and slow-moving wagging tails, I sit content by the dawn and the fact that we are not working today. There is nothing major to do this weekend we were going on a hunt for something and still may, but that thought I shall put far to the back of my mind as I don’t need stress at such a calming moment.

 

Reflections on life today. How people are put into our life for a reason at the right time.

Yesterday as I hesitated whether or not to go out feeling that anxious feeling of mixed emotions and doubting my ability, I realised that I had to. I had a message to do so I had to step out of what can become a very comfortable state of mind an yet is as far from good from the mind, for our mental health for sure.

 

So, I went through the procedure of getting my beautiful guide dog ready, she was ready and willing, she loves to get out. And the way in which she just excepts her harness over her head almost lowering her head as I feel for her to go through the acquired hole. Fastening her belt under her stomach feeling proud that she is still lovely and slim. That is one way to know how big your guide dog is, by how tight or, not is the harness. Today I noticed that there was a large gap between her stomach and strap. Not enough or the harness to fall off, but a nice gap of a slim dog.

 

Off we went on our little adventure. As I came out of our avenue of all sorts, I was approached by a neighbour. He as always bless him, introduced himself using my name and his and asked me to his garden on Sunday as he will be having a BBQ. How kind of him. So, I headed to the shop to buy some burgers for Hub. I won’t be having anything, it’s just too difficult isn’t it, if you can imagine, a garden full of people just putting things on the BBQ when you can’t see. So, burgers for Hub and I hope someone will be able to help out with that for him. Let’s see.  Our neighbour, a nice guy never goes past our garden or doesn’t fail to talk to us if we meet on the street without saying hello. He could quite easily go past and say nothing, I mean, we wouldn’t even know he was there. He could be anyone.

 

As I did my messages I called in a shop and as I waited for assistance, people came from behind me and basically pushed in front of me to get to the counter. Obviously, the ignorant staff were not going to offer any help, how long would or could I have stood there? Then a friendly voice came behind me and again, using my name and hers, she asked if she could help me.

 

Well, I couldn’t resist. “Oh, thank you, I have been waiting ages but no one was going to offer any help new staff unfortunately.”” Then I got what I wanted and went to the counter. I waited to be spoken to. Nothing. Then my friend from the bac of the shop shouted Fiona, she needs your card? Ah, and why can’t she speak? So, I asked her if she did contactless? Well, she was mute obviously as no words came from her mouth. My friend Janet came to help and guided me to the machine as the woman just held the machine in front of me not offering any help or still not speaking. She was foreign, but that is no excuse. If she didn’t speak enough English to communicate, she shouldn’t have a job in England where you do, need to talk with customers.

I got my item, not offered a bag, and thanked my friend saying it was a good job she was there, and walked out. Into the next shop and met with a great guy who knows me well and has worked at the shop for as long as I have lived here. He’s lovely and so helpful. Better than the last time I was in there when the lady asked what I wanted and proceeded to go around the shop on her own normally I go with them. And she shouted to me at the other side of the shop asking did I want this one or that one? Never the less, I suppose all people are different, I just thank God there are some wonderful people out there who don’t live in their own little plastic perfect world and can think out of the box.

 

As I was walking home, I met a man, he was an elderly gent I would guess in his late seventies early eighties. He said hello to me and told me my dog was marvellous. I had to agree. I just could feel his deep sadness and loneliness. So, I stopped it was my turn now to be kind. I learned his wife of 53 years had died four days ago. With tears in his voice my heart broke for him. He quivered as he told me he didn’t know what he was going to do. Oh, bless him. I spent at least ten minutes talking with him and by the end, he said he was grateful to me for listening. I mean, what did it take to listen and show understanding for ten minutes? But I know there are people out there who just would walk by. Well, what goes around comes around and if I had gone out ten minutes earlier or later, I guess I wouldn’t have met with my neighbour, or my friend or, that lovely man.

There are reasons for life. and people are put in front of us for a reason!

 

 

 

 

 

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