In life you will find...that there are tiny, little, loving treasures, as small as one of the sands of time...that a lot of times can be overlooked...because you blinked...or because you just couldn't look past your own misery...that turn out to be priceless jewels...that money just can't buy.
And if you're are incredibly blessed...they will remain in your life here...and way up there in heaven...
For the times that I cared enough to look...I thank God...and then keep looking for them every chance I get.
In my very different life...I've been with a major airline for 12 years. I'm the guy frantically working to get you on your way...quickly, efficiently, safely...and with great CARE. I, as you can imagine, meet so many people 1 by 1...and I won't remember a name...but always a face...and if given the opportunity that I always try for...small talk, that sometimes turns to heart talk...and we both walk away kind of teary and feeling, "Touched By An Angel"... because we really were...
That is what I live for...the glimpses into the lives of a many different people. I love that I'm able to meet them all...take a peek into their many different lives...and see for myself where God is in their mind, thoughts, hearts and souls. Hey, mean people, or my interpretation of mean people, aren't those that are frustrated and just having a bad day...Mean people forget to look for the tiny things...instead of keeping and grabbing all they can...even at the expense of someone else's livelihood.
My mission is to help people find those sands in time...
This is the story of me finding the most sparkling blue white fire priceless gem...
I switched careers within my company. I taught myself...a month long course of international ticketing...thrown to the wolves...hands on...learning quickly...from ticket, to person to listening...then fixing, selling...or changing all that tiny writing on the bottom of your ticket...the red flimsy ones and the blue card...
You see something like this.
250.00ttl bosiad 120.00/iadpdx 120.00/ bos1.00ay 1.00xt 1.00zp 2.00us pdxiad 2.50ay 1.00us 1.00xt .5000 zp bosiadpdxiad 140.00 10.00ay end
If you think that's f'd up you should see me with a round the world ticket...with so many rules, restrictions, entry requirements, visas, schengen visa, less than x amount of transfer time from fratlvdbx...etc...this, believe it or not is kind of logic and creativeness...and brainstorming.
All the while...I get to enjoy the people...some of my favorites are the family of four that saved 5 years to take their kids to Disney...the parents, saving every dime, working so hard and long for this event...and (most of the time they are innocently clueless, nervous, and having NO clue about the protocols of taking a flight or ,taking a flight these days for that matter but, they, in their skittishness, are so proud) they are just as excited as the kids...or to the uber wealthy daily business flyer...that could buy and sell the airport and airline...with loose money in his pockets asking, "hey, again Mr J...did my upgrade clear? How's Nana, Mom and Tom...see you in 2 days..."
Again, I have to say...I love them all.
Sometimes, rarely...no matter what you do...it's almost like, you want to get a hold of "Michael, The Arch Angel"... to burn up a violent, bigoted moron...that you can never get them to come out of the mindset of new money, ridiculous expectations of self righteousness, superiorism, and their elitist demands.
I usually can turn a raging storm into a baby's sigh with a glare and a loud voice of me controlling the situation...putting out the fire...by saying, "I can't work with you...I don't like your condescending attitude...and quite frankly I'm a bit threatened by your loud voice and it's tone...so, I'm the good guy...I'm here to help...so come down here for a minute and we'll talk..."
I've been...most of my adult life, around great wealth...I was never impressed with cash, stocks, land or shares...homemade peach cobbler, from the market bagger, that took me on a date to the dog park...that impresses me. I think a lot of my relationships were from people of wealth...trying to be a pompous, show off to me on a date berating the waitress...to the point of me excusing myself to the bathroom...and not affording to but, it was the "Right Thing To Do"...giving the young waitress a cheer up pep talk...validating her as a human...and trying to get across from my life experience...to forget about people like them...pray for them...for they are pathetic. "Now" I would say as we start laughing, "Where is the back door to this place...I gotta get out of here..."
A lot of people tried to bring me down, hurt me, belittle me...so massively, that no matter what my faith is or was...or my feelings of self worth, which they quickly learned...were next to zero at points in my life. (I was in a very weird business where you're taken at a price...not talent...and you had best succumb to their demands for you to work...that you were told to live in the gym...don't get a pimple...watch your weight...you're up a few, Mr Ford...and did you ever think of wearing green contacts...designed especially for you...etc...It's all corporate greed now, some entertainers have talent, some are just a synthetic products of Hollywood ceo's...a synth'd voice...pec muscle implants or nose jobs (that one I'm guilty of, but I can breathe better...haha) and HUGE marketing for a poor soul that has know idea what they are getting into.)
So with them knowing this about me...and even worse, knowing I was so lonely for someone that...I would go down in flames.Just as they wanted. Sometimes I think that in their huge wallets, there was nothing they could pull from it that would knock me out...I guess, at that time, I was a face for people...and in those relationships...it had nothing to do with the affairs of the heart. Not for those I went with (sometimes for years) anyway.
I'm in a relationship now almost 6 years strong...with a very different kind of person...but I've met my soul mate...God delivered when I was ready...on his terms. And you almost NEVER expect it...Love at first sight, some call it. Whatever...it's real. I've never been the same. If I left the planet tomorrow...Now that I am complete with God...love...intamicy...open heart and mind and eyes...I would feel that I, "really did see it all" with my lessons learned (I believe in lessons learned not mistakes) and I would leave, without a doubt, knowing that Life...sometimes painful, yes...was well worth the ride while on my mission.
Back to my priceless, blue white fire...shining gem...
I'll tell you a little later, as I've got to run to the market. I remember when I could send somebody to the market...I'm glad I dig doing things with Tom and/or myself.
Be back shortly...
Jim