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.