The Christmas Season is almost beyond us. My family had an interesting experience this year, which brings me to this posting.
My son purchased me a stove for Christmas from a nationally renowned store. He bought it on the 10th of this month and it was scheduled by the store to be delivered to us on the 26th - 16 days after the purchase. The hours of delivery were set from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
About 9 o'clock yesterday I decided I needed to contact the store to see if we could get a smaller time frame, just in case I needed to go somewhere during the day. The message I received was that the store was closed. I continued trying, as another of my children called me to say that the parking lot at this store was full. Two hours later I get a message saying that they are having phone difficulties and to dial this extension. Nothing. The extension took me back to the "store is closed" recording.
The son who purchased me the stove for Christmas arrived in my living room at noon, and asked if they'd called me yet. When was the stove supposed to arrive? He tried to call them, and managed to get through.
The message we got was "there are no deliveries today and even though your purchase sheet states that it will be delivered today, it's not going to happen. Someone should have contacted you to reschedule." No apology came from them about the mix up.
Needless to say, my son went to the store to talk to the manager. He maintained his calm until the comment was made "The amount of money you spent here is inconsequential, and you still have to wait for three or four more days for the stove to be delivered." My son returned the stove and went elsewhere.
The point of this story is to say, that the person who each of us is is not inconsequential. It has nothing to do with money, our jobs, where we live or anything else. We are all one. I am you and you are me. I am Spirit, just as you are. A homeless person's worth or value is no less than Bill Gates or any other multi-billionaire. Every person should be treated with respect and dignity.
I understand at times it is difficult to apologize for the inconvenience we may have caused another, but in the long run, we feel better for trying to do the right thing. All that was called for in this instance was "We are so sorry for the misunderstanding. We don't have people doing deliveries today, but if we can put you on the list for the first thing tomorrow morning..." would have been acceptable. The effort is made to right a wrong, instead of intimating that you aren't worthy as a person.
This lesson is a reminder to me that I, too, need to make a conscious effort in how I treat others. If I'm frustrated or angry about something, I will remind myself that they aren't to blame, that they aren't to be treated without that respect they deserve. Because you see, I am you and you are me.
Namaste,
Sue
