by Brian
I find it fascinating the number of people we meet during our relatively short lifetimes. We literally interact with thousands and thousands of people. So how many do we choose to hang out with? How many do we invite over to our house? How many of them really made a difference in our lives?
I would be lying if I told you that they all did. Although I gave the Uber driver from last week five stars, we are not meeting her for coffee this week. The check out person at the grocery store was very good, but he is not going on my Holiday card list. And even the dog groomer who did a fantastic job with Junior’s new fur-do will not be coming over to the house anytime soon.
As intuitive as the above reality may be to you and me, our kids are able to find significant enjoyment from many people in their lives. I think this is their super power, where they are drawn to interactions that we tend to gloss over. I have come to believe that it is our attitude toward and interaction with the people with whom we cross paths that is the best measure of who we are.
At the Naperville Farmers Market, we have met many people who appreciate our kids for who they are. One shining example is Brit, a young woman who runs the Sweet Treats booth at the market. Each Saturday, she greets our kids with a warm smile and asks how their independent living is going. Brit is always patient and takes the time to ask Jolee if she did anything fun that week and Dylan what his preferred treat for this week will be.
I find these interactions fascinating. I do not get this same vibe when I approach the micro-green’s booth, getting my smallish vegetables that evidently “go great on burgers or blended to a pulp in my green smoothie”. I say hello, ask a few questions, place my order and move about my day. Jolee, on the other hand, truly interacts with the vendors like she genuinely wants to know more about them. There are many days that I would like to be more like her, able to experience the joy of talking to strangers, to see people and life through her eyes.
Another place that has come to mean a lot to Jolee and Dylan for the people is Speedway. When was the last time you actually took the time to make eye contact and have a conversation with someone at the gas station? Well as you have read in previous blogs, gas stations have been a huge social learning source for our kids. The employees have gone out of their way to include our kids in conversations and provide help when struggling with a new skill like using their own debit cards when mom and dad are not with them. But one time stands out for me. During the pandemic when everyone needed to wear masks and anxiety was high, the manager at Speedway came over to let Jolee know that she really liked her mask with puppies. Jolee went home that day and selected one of her new masks that would match the Speedway uniform. The next morning Jolee proudly walked in and gave Rita the mask. For weeks/months after that Jolee would see Rita wearing the mask that she had given her and they would have a short conversation while shopping.
So here is to the everyday heroes. Here is to Brit, Rita, the micro-green’s guy, the bread lady, the organic coffee vendor, and the Farmers Market acoustic singers (who are quite talented). These folks have made an impact on our lives and we appreciate it.