Dear Reader:

Before we get to the “invisible” people in our daily lives…let me share the mystery around the invisible “letter” that disappeared. I went out on the deck yesterday morning and the “P” in HOPE was simply gone.

For the first time in over a week it hadn’t rained so it wasn’t due to a storm or anything…the tacks were still “intact” that had been holding it yet no cloth letter was anywhere to be seen…under the table…on the grass outside the railing…I even looked under the deck in that section…nothing. So now I am left with “HOE.”

It can be defined as a gardening tool used to break up dirt or as the urban dictionary defines it…  a “promiscuous” person who believes having sex with only one person…means one at a time.   *So obviously I must get a new “P” back in HOPE… quickly! 🙂

Psychology Today says there is an epidemic of “invisible” people growing in our society with dire consequences.

To be quite honest…it is only now in this stage of my life that I am becoming more acutely aware of the growing number of “invisible” people I encounter on a daily basis. Why? Because I have been given the most precious gift of “time” with my retirement years. This allows me the opportunity to really study people more completely while going about my daily errands.

Sadly the news media today is filled with stories of people (of all ages and backgrounds) who always felt invisible to society and ended up either taking their own lives…truly believing no one would even notice they were gone or taking out their anger against a society who never included them in it…with killing sprees and senseless other acts of violence.

If we take time to really observe the faces of people who work in ‘behind-the-scenes’ kinds of jobs (meat cutters, night time janitorial services, third shift maintenance jobs, late night delivery employment)…or even people we see in broad daylight in a variety of service positions, we can see the lost look (of lack of societal inclusion) in their eyes.

Feeling excluded is one of the worst feelings in the world. Haven’t we all experienced this terrible feeling at some point in our lives or at least feared it would be so? Perhaps we were at a new school where we knew no one, or on a team where we felt left out or unaccepted? It might have been at a social event like a dance where no one asked us to dance…we felt completely humiliated and alienated at the same time.

This is why it is so important that we all take time to speak ( make an upbeat comment or compliment) to a cashier, food server, cleaning staff personnel, a sad-looking teenage grocery bagger, delivery men/women, repair men, receptionists, etc. Long after these people have finished their daily, thankless job…your comment to them or compliment, particularly a word of thanks for their work ethic, will go a long way in helping them feel appreciated on a personal and positional basis.

So until tomorrow… “Smile at strangers and you just might change a life.” – Steve Maraboli

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

My neighbor Jane’s Texas Star hibiscus  is blooming proudly!

But the recent showers have my Confederate Rose growing in amazing leaps and bounds…can hardly wait till Fall to see the beautiful white, pink, and red blooms. A new flag welcomes all visitors to the garden…the other flag had faded with all the summer sunshine.

I got the most beautiful comment to the blog post “Mirroring our Behavior…” Lynn told about her breast cancer experience and I believe Ann…y’all share similar feelings…I know she shares mine. Thanks for taking the time to leave this thought-provoking personal message Lynn!

What a very beautiful story. It will be my inspiration for the rest of this week…possibly even for the rest of my life! And yes, I’ve been there on the long journey of breast cancer with many watching as I walked through my many months of surgery; chemotherapy and radiation….and beyond all this to further check-ups and doctor’s visits.

I wonder what they saw, felt or sensed? Hopefully those standing by sensed the peace beyond understanding which my Father gave me; the strength beyond compare that was poured out upon me; the joy that I found on that journey despite the doubt and despair that sometimes tried to knock on my heart’s door….and did they see and realize I was walking and not faltering and falling only because it was my compassionate and loving Father who carried me!