Need a Good Story? They are All Around Us

I make a to do list each night before I go to bed. I do that to prevent my mind from waking me up at 2 a.m. and saying, “Ray, don’t forget to pay your electric bill, crazy stuff like that. When I check those items off the list I’m not sure if it eases my mind or not, but I no longer think about it. What I remember about my day is the people I connected with. Each one has a story they want to tell and all I have to do is listen. Yesterday, Jody told me about a close relative who died. I heard about the cremation and memorial service. Corky told me about his hips and how badly they hurt and about his wife who has stage 4 breast cancer. He can’t have operation on his hips because he has a bad heart. Bob told me he doesn’t know how to cook and envies me because I do. Alice told me she is going on biking trip in Europe this summer. Each of us has a story that’s waiting to be told. When we listen to the stories of other people we gain deeper insight and compassion for them,