The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 041

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Recipients:

The Founders of Funky Town, Platt Park

A Sunday stroll, a warm day, a detour toward the farmer's market.

Two people a block ahead, walking in the same direction. 

The woman stops,  takes a picture of the base of a tree, continues walking. Curious.

When I get to that tree I look down and laugh loud enough for the lady to turn around.

"Now I see why you took a picture," I call to her. We both laugh.

Fairy gardens are new to me; I don't remember seeing them prior to moving to this neighborhood. There are a lot of adorable, imaginative, sparkly little fairy gardens in my neck of the woods but this one takes the cake by virtue of the sign.

So, if someone asks you to take them to Funky Town, let me know. 

It's right in Platt Park. I can give you directions.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 040

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Recipient:

Kahlil @ the Denver Botanic Gardens

He was sitting on a bench with an older lady, sketching in the shade, and glimpsing what he had created literally stopped me in my tracks. The beauty and delicacy just cracked me open. I had to go over and say something. They said thanks, and the lady added, "Oh, I guess I'm kind of used to it," which I took to mean that since his drawings are a fact of life for her, she forgets how other people react to them. We wished each other good day, and I kept walking. My intention was to leave the garden but my mind was snagged on that sketchbook. I sat down and wrote out the award.

When I went back to the bench, they were gone.

Well, that's that. Maybe I will just take a picture of the award and leave it in the garden somewhere. Hopefully the Universe will carry the energy of the message to him, wherever he is.

However, Serendipity was on the job, and I spotted them on my way toward the exit. Flagged them down and brought them up to speed. The lady was nice enough to introduce us and Kahlil let me take a picture of his drawing. 

He wants to get into Denver School of the Arts someday.

Kahlil, I hope that happens for you.

And if not, I hope you will continue to create art for yourself, for as long as it continues to bring you alive.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 039

Friday, September 17, 2021

Recipient:

Alyssa on Delta flight to LGA

Our first interaction on the flight came after her sub sandwich slipped off her lap and landed on the floor between us in an explosion of vegetables.

She apologized. 

I said it was OK, and helped scoop up the mess.

This could have been the end of the story. She had headphones. I had a crossword puzzle. We could have flown from DIA to LaGuardia in friendly silence.

But because I am me and would rather not miss out on a chance to chat with someone if they're game, I extended my standard offer: Talk, not talk, it's up to you, and it's all good.

What a lovely person she turned out to be. Smart, caring, beautiful, committed to the betterment of others. I found out she worked for a social service agency in Denver as well as having a part-time gig at a bridal shop, which was a nice complement to her other work which could be serious and heart-breaking. She talked about wanting to combine her love of fashion and beauty and her desire to help other women get to a better place in life. She talked about her mother and her aunt, both important figures in her life. We swapped music and book recommendations. As we continued to talk, I kept thinking, "She's such a dynamic person who has so much on the ball. I can see her making real change in the world. I hope she has people around her who will tell her that, and encourage her."

Well, she did.

And I did.

Wherever you are, Alyssa, I hope all went well in New York.

Also:

May you be happy. 

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

May you find deep joy.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 037, No. 038

Friday, August 20, 2021

Recipients:

Elouise & Sean (her Dad) / server Rick @ Uno Mas, Platt Park

Foreword

I am writing this *95 days* after the fact. 

A recipe for disaster, under normal circumstances.

I have pictures of the award. Something is written underneath "For". Theoretically I know why I gave it in the first place. However, it's a far cry from knowing the emotional context, which makes the writing part of this process easier. Oh, this is the same kind of recall-related hubris that kept me from writing names and dates on pictures I had taken during college. I see these people every day, some part of my brain must have said. How could I possibly forget? Ha.

Thankfully, we had an idea on our walk home from the restaurant.

Mike and I decided to park ourselves on a nearby bench and take a few moments to record ourselves on his phone describing what happened. The audio diary captured details I had forgotten about in the intervening weeks. Better still, it preserved our amusement and delight in a way that typing information into my notes app couldn't have done. Listening to it now is a joyful experience. (Our couple-speak, finishing each other's sentences, and the audible smooch at the end preserved for posterity is the cherry on top.)

~  ~  ~

The Rest of the Story

We were seated at one end of a picnic table; our neighbors at the other end were a guy with a little girl we presumed was his daughter. She was about six years old, adorable, blond with green eyes, and -- we were to find out soon enough -- not afraid of talking to strangers.

Elouise ("with a U, because I'm unique") began the conversation with a sincere endorsement of the quesadillas, which she noticed Mike had also ordered. It just got better from there.

"My dad makes me the *best* margaritas." Sean quickly clarified that the ones he made for her were alcohol-free.

"It took us longer than we thought [to visit the restroom] because then Dad had to go, too."

Our waiter, Rick, won us over with his willingness to play along as well as getting our food to the table with impressive speed for a busy Friday night. When Elouise used the term "fast food", Rick took the opportunity to educate her, saying it was quality food served fast, which is different.

The most snort-worthy moment came when Elouise told Rick that her drink was the best drink ever, which pleased him greatly as he had made it himself. He mentioned that it came with free refills and he could give them one to go. Dad quickly said, "Nooooo, no, that's OK," as we teasingly chastised Rick for breaking the commandment, "Thou shalt not offer the six year old more sugary drinks before bedtime."

We could not have been more entertained.

Bonus: As we were walking out, another diner who had observed the merriment and award-giving stopped us to say how uplifting it was to witness, especially during these times, and encouraged me to keep being me. Not necessary, not the point of the exercise, and also still nice to hear.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 036

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Recipients:

Maritza and company @ Café Castro, Santa Fe

When you're famished, sleep-deprived and unsettled, a little customer service goes a long way.
When you're the recipient of a lot of customer service, it feels like a downright blessing.

We had driven to Albuquerque on a Monday morning with the boys to see the Foo Fighters in Albuquerque that evening. While it was fun, and the boys did pretty well considering they'd never spent that much time in the car in one go, it was a *long* day. Tuesday was all relaxation at the B&B (thank heavens), and now we were capping the trip with a highly anticipated stop in Santa Fe to check out Meow Wolf.

The boys had entered in a veritable lather to see the sights, and emerged fairly freaked out. On top of that, we were all experiencing hunger verging on nausea. It's in this unfortunate state that we stumbled into the restaurant and were greeted by Maritza, the host.

Some people simply have a nice energy. They shine. You can feel their open-heartedness when you come within three feet of them. That's an apt description of Maritza. She and the rest of the crew got us seated and had our orders placed with incredible warmth and speed. They were solicitous without being overbearing and even seemed to anticipate our needs before we had a chance to think about them. (One of the servers appeared at the table with a clean fork literally seconds after Isaac dropped his. It was like magic.)

We received comfort food and care, which is exactly what we needed, and for which we were heartily grateful.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 035

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Recipients:

Jim & Kathleen @ Morning Star Bed & Breakfast of Corrales

We were introduced to Jim and Kathleen in the kitchen of the B&B on Tuesday morning.
Monday had been a solid 16 hours of action -- two tweens plus a 500 mile drive plus a three-hour Foo Fighters concert.

Mike and I were probably not as gracious as we would have liked, being laser-focused on the task of procuring a couple cups of coffee. 
Now we were two groups of people sitting in close proximity on the patio enjoying a delicious breakfast.

These social situations can be awkward. Chit-chat, or companionable silence?
While chit-chat is my choice most of the time, I also live in mortal dread of being one of those people. Someone who will not shut up.
Someone who blathers on, oblivious to the fact that the other party is pleasantly daydreaming about having a stroke so they needn't continue paddling in the conversational canoe.

That's why I asked. Yes or no to talking, and no harm/no foul either way.
Fortunately for us, the answer was yes.

It was an instant connection. Jim and Kathleen were engaging people. We loved hearing about their work, their hobbies, their history. They were also fine listeners, asking about us, showing interest in the kids and what they had to say. The interaction was so comfortable and easy we could have kept going and going. Alas, they were scheduled to check out in a few hours. We exchanged contact information and expressed hopes of getting together in the not-so-distant future.

I do hope we see them again. When you meet folks who make you feel more energized after you've talked with them, you want to keep them in your circle. Regardless of whether or not it comes to pass, their gift of a morning in their company remains, and that's what the BSAs are all about. 

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 034

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Recipient:

G.B. @ Ace Hardware, University

The Ace Hardware was situated in a shopping plaza I hadn't visited before despite the fact that it's a scant mile from my house. My mission: To use my Ace Rewards to buy a hori-hori (Japanese gardening knife). I had to have it, because the only thing holding me back from banishing the weeds overtaking our tiny front lawn was the right tool. (Ha.)

The store was a lovely surprise. Well-lit, organized, pleasantly scented, and eclectically stocked with items ranging from the strictly utilitarian to the metaphysical.

I didn’t see what I was looking for right away and decided to ask an associate. The first red vest I spotted was helping another customer. While I hovered nearby, I couldn’t help overhearing bits of their conversation; the woman was wishing him good luck. I asked him about it while he led me to the gardening tools. He shared that in a few months he’d be uprooting his life and moving to the southeast, sight unseen. His sister lived there and he wanted to be closer to her. We had a heartfelt conversation about heading into the unknown, making huge life changes, and taking chances while he advised me on lawn care.

I wrote the award, gave it to him, and he walked away before I could ask if he'd like to pose for a picture.

G.B., it has been about three months since we met. You have probably made your move by now. I hope it is treating you well, and I am wishing you all good things.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 031, No. 032, No. 033

Friday, July 23, 2021

Recipients:

Adonay, Korey, and Hesi @ Herbs and Arts on Colfax

 

  

  

  (Korey is the correct spelling, btw.)

 

Since 1993 Herbs & Arts has served Denver and the region, striving to be a place of healing & sanctuary to all who enter regardless of one’s beliefs. We live with a simple intention, to put forth compassion, love & gratitude into the universe with the belief that if we can inspire & empower healing and spiritual connection in ourselves and others, the world will change for the better.

~ Herbs & Arts website

Monday, July 26, 2021

Just looking at the people in these pictures floors me. 

Their very pixels exude love, openness, and good energy.

And as far as the store's intention goes, they are knocking it out of the park.

A Few Days Earlier...

"I need to go to Herbs & Arts and ask if I could do a collage workshop there."

The thought appeared with the clear ring of marching orders while I was in the shower.

Because new ideas look like mortal threats to my ancient overprotective Lizard Brain, that thought was followed by other, less helpful thoughts like, "probably not" and "that's stupid" and "aren't you forgetting a little something called the delta variant?"

Coaxing, reassurance, and bribery next. "Hey, if it doesn't work out, that's fine! Maybe you will find a new stone for your altar, or even an opportunity to give out an award."

My confidence faltered when I walked in. There were so many people shopping that I didn't feel comfortable asking anyone about collage workshops. This moment of doubt gave Old Lizzie the cue to deploy the IDS (Inner Drill Sergeant).

"The store is BUSY! They do not have TIME for your foolishness! NOBODY wants a collage workshop! You are WASTING their valuable TIME! Taking up space when they are trying to run a BUSINESS! They do not have TIME to show you EVERY GODDAMN ORACLE DECK IN STOCK! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

(My IDS is kind of a dink.)

Enter Adonay, Korey, and Hesi. Engaging, knowledgeable, and helpful, their level of service made me feel like I was the only person in the store when I most certainly was not. Adonay and Korey literally handed over half of the oracle decks behind the counter so I could see them up close and experience for myself which ones called to me. Hesi responded with empathy and validation when I told him about a time I visited H&A in search of some healing and protection during an unsettling period in my life. They helped me feel better after I had convinced myself that I didn't deserve to take up space in that space. It's a beautiful gift, and I'm so grateful to them all.

One Hundred Steps At A Time

 

"It's Father's Day, so Dad gets to choose, and you don't get to complain."

That's what I told the boys several hundred times.

I used that line with glorious abandon. Such a giddy feeling. Oh, the power!

And while it didn't stop them from complaining entirely -- of course it didn't -- it reduced the resistance to a dull roar.

So we stuffed ourselves silly with breakfast foods at Snooze, drove toward Idaho Springs, and set out on a three-mile hike along the Chief Mountain Trail.

I'd had my misgivings. The "moderate" hike we went on last Father's Day had me huffing like an asthmatic sloth, and I was in better shape back then. 

Visions formed: A line of stalled hikers twenty-deep crawling along behind me, breaking free only when I step aside to let them pass, buff senior citizens and energetic toddlers and the guy with the walker from Office Space streaming up the mountain, pulses barely elevated, while I slink back to the car to wait for my family, stewing in my shame and failure.

"It's Father's Day, so Dad gets to choose, and you don't get to complain."

My words come back to me and I wonder if sometimes you can be too smart for your own good.

We start walking and I am very much out of breath. I am also standing aside for every person coming back down the trail, fatigue in courtesy's clothing. 

Then we stop for a break near a sign that says "Chief Mountain Trail: 2 miles" and Mike wonders aloud, "Hmm, is it actually three miles one way, rather than round trip?"

To him: "No no no no no, you would not do this to me. You would not say this to me at this point. That would be beyond cruel. This is something you CHECK. BEFOREHAND."

To myself: "How, how, HOW am I going to get through this?"

Thankfully, my Wiser Kind Self was on-call, and she talked me down. Or up, as the case may be.

"Tell you what we're gonna do. We are going to take one hundred steps. Then we are going to rest for ten seconds. Then we are going to take another hundred steps. After a reasonable number of sets (five?) we will take a longer break. Then we will start again. Let's go."

That's how it got done. I climbed the mountain one hundred steps at a time.

As it is in outdoor recreation, so it is in life, with any challenge that feels too daunting.

Break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. 

(My Wise Ass Self in all her gleeful smarminess cannot stop herself from mentioning that this is a mere fraction of a fourteener: Ooh, big deal! Which is why my Wiser Kind Self is driving and my Wise Ass Self isn't even allowed to touch the radio.)

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: Q2 in Review

V.O.: 

Previously, on The BRIGHT SPOT Awards...

M.W.: 

Hopefully, time begets more time.

Perhaps giving myself the year to finish the challenge will let me be in the world again and opportunities for connection can come to me instead of me having to chase them down.

V.O.:

She thought that less pressure and more hours in which to do the work would yield more work.

She was wrong.

Very wrong.

Setting The Scene

I was caught up with my blog posts.

One temp assignment had ended. I was holding off on taking more on until the condo was finished and I found a new tenant. 

My schedule was my own, and the next portion of my project would come together with great ease.

Ha.

The Pendulum Needs a Push

I gave out 25 awards in 39 days last quarter. I gave out five awards in 68 days this quarter.

"Just letting things happen" turned into "nothing at all happening". Shockingly, people did not approach me in droves, and opportunities for award-giving did not rain down from the sky.

A small contribution of energy is required in order to keep the object swinging.

If Only I Had More...

It's a beguiling concept.

Imagine all the work we could get done if we only didn't have this day job, or these commitments.

My dear wise writer friend Jana summed up the hilarious truth when I mentioned that my vast savannahs of time had not translated into reams of writing:

"That's the biggest lie writers tell themselves! We don't write. We just feel guiltier for not writing because we have more time."

She added that setting aside a block of time to achieve a specific goal can help you stay on track, like taking a weekend away to write 10,000 words. And if a writerly retreat isn't in the cards, 15 minutes a day will do the trick.

The Takeaway

Intentionality is the keyword.

I can intentionally greet people with openness, gratitude, and kindness. BRIGHT SPOTS thrive in that environment.

I can schedule my time with intention so that it doesn't get filled with wasteful activity or whatever random thing grabs my attention in the moment.

Onward and upward.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 030

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Recipient:

Bennett @ Uno Mas on 6th Ave.

Sometimes seats at the bar are preferable to seats at a table. 

This is one of those times, because of this guy.

 

Bennett!

Mixer of drinks ... 

Marg for Mike, Paloma (minus the tequila) for me

Sharer of stories ... 

The Goth wedding in Atlanta, the tepid reception at a waffle house for a man in a suit with black nail polish

Connoisseur of podcasts ... 

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, Convince Me To Like This Band

 

"My job is so much easier when I actually like the people I am serving."

Well, my dear, in the immortal words of New Radicals, you get what you give. 

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 029

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Recipient:

Ronnie @ Home Depot, Glendale

Question: What do you do when you want to hang some Elfa® shelving but they don't make laminated shelves in the necessary length?

Answer: You attempt to make your own with a little help. (OK, a lot of help.)

Which is how I came across Ronnie at the Home Depot. He is in fact a supervisor in the tool department and yet was happy to cut a board in one-foot lengths for me, offering helpful tips for drilling the holes to the correct depth. 

Then, there's the accent. My subconscious was connecting to him like a friend I hadn't met yet before my brain caught up and said, "Hey, this guy sounds like he's from New York!" Sure enough. Well met, former East coast resident. 

Assistance with a smile. Helping me feel slightly more confident in tackling an unfamiliar project than I felt when I walked in. A little bit of old home week. Here's your award.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 028

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Recipient:

James @ Trader Joe's, Congress Park

We will get to James in a moment. First, a trip in the Wayback Machine.

Woburn, MA, c. 2001:

My poor bashed-up car was at the body shop and I had decamped to a local convenience store to wait for George to finish the repairs. Tiring of my crossword puzzle, I began to observe the cashier at work. A bearded 30-something with a warm smile, greeting customers by name and picking up loose strands of prior conversations: Is your mom feeling better? How'd your daughter do at her game? He asked strangers about their days as well; he was an equal opportunity kindness-spreader. I thought, "This is something special. You may never know his last name, or invite him over for Sunday dinner, but you feel that much better for having been in contact with him. That's the sort of person he is. That's the kind of person I want to be."

The next day I told this story to a regular patron at the coffee shop two doors down from my work. He said, "There's a word for that in Arabic -- it's baraka, which means blessing, and also can refer to the person who's bestowing the blessing. And you are that kind of person."

Back to James: 

We had a funny conversation about my reusable bag habit collection, and the merits of reusable bags as travel souvenirs. When he was done ringing up my purchases, he went on to make friendly inquiries of the next customer: How was your day? Any plans for the weekend? 

Animated. Lively. Chatty. Pleasant. Buoyant. Present. He was a joy to meet.

Later I thought of the cashier from 20 years ago.

Different personalities, same end result -- we crossed paths, and because of you my day just got a little brighter.

Baraka. May we all aspire to this in our own ways.

The BRIGHT SPOT Awards: No. 027

Monday, April 5, 2021

Recipient:

Hans, owner of Deiter's Chocolates, University

I'd actually stopped by here one time before, during my chasing-the-awardee phase. 

Alas, in the time it took me to revisit the cheating/not cheating debate and decide it was OK because (1) I'd been wanting to visit the place since we moved to this neighborhood and (2) I could walk out the door with a truffle and without giving any awards if things didn't progress in that direction, they had closed for the evening.

This time would be different. I made sure to arrive way before closing time. I ran up to the storefront and pulled on the door...which was locked. I looked at the hours painted on the window; yes, they should still be open. I was grappling with the cognitive dissonance of the situation when a man came to the door. Bad news. They closed early that day in order to recover from the Easter rush.

My attempt to not look as crestfallen as I felt must have been unsuccessful because as I turned to go, the man asked me a series of questions:

Had I ever been there before? No.

Was I a milk or dark chocolate person? Dark.

Carmel? Nuts? Yes, yes.

Truffle or turtle? Turtle.

Pecans, walnuts, or almonds? Pecans!

He stepped away for a moment and returned with a gorgeous dark chocolate turtle which he gave to me free of charge.

This, my friends, is real customer service.

I asked him his name and told him I needed to give him something. Spent an awkward few moments juggling the new and improved bit of cardstock, two metallic gel pens, and the turtle (which was eventually chucked into my bag to free up a hand). Hans declined to have his picture taken, though he was happy for me to snap a few quick pics of the store. We said our goodbyes with promises of future visits.

In a last act of kindness, he reminded me to rescue the unwrapped candy from the interior of my purse.