Gifts are Not Always Wrapped

Filling up my Starbuck coffee mug - I bought myself the coffee mug that you can fill up for free every day of January - the man behind the counter called me by name.  Now I realize this is kind of a Starbucks thing, but not at this Starbucks.  No one ever remembers names.  They rarely see the same person ever again.  We are, after all, a tourist town.  So I asked him how he knows me (no longer shy am I to admit I have no clue who is talking to me!) and I hear his story.

It is a long life-story.  The essence of which includes a wife and kids, a job with real estate that had no benefits, and two bouts with cancer, one took his kidney.  He told me you can work 20 hours at Starbucks and get full medical, dental, and vision insurance.  Wow.  When I commented that perhaps this was something I should consider, he quickly and firmly stated, "No! You love your job!"

And that was my gift from Jonathon.  A random reminder of how wonderful it is to have a position of power, an opportunity to lead staff members to find their heart-singing skills, to have wondrous flexibility, to command an emergency incident, to know how to reduce risk in this wonderful community, to prevent bad things every day that no one realizes or recognizes.  That's the thing about prevention - if you are looking for a Hero Badge, it ain't comin'!!  But still, the rewards are fulfilling!

So, there are many presents to be opened.  Daily.  They don't come wrapped often, but you might have to look harder than during the holidays.

Which brings up my number one favorite-blog-follower celebrates his birthday tomorrow!  Happy Birthday, Dear Dad!!  May your gifts be abundant!!