NO MORE WITH ME

Salaam guys, read on and enjoy.. thanks.


NO MORE WITH ME

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he
struggled to get off the escalator.


I'll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an
older person I've gotten impatient and upset. I've huffed and zoomed around
them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I'm more aware of it
now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old
man's shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.


He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as
an obstacle. I've seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead
in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there's a pile up of angry
people behind them. You can't stop an escalator full of people behind you.
Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin'.


This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step
aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you
could see how troubling this was for him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I
don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the
escalator.


I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my
future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was
apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping him and calming
his fears.


One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered
as one lady passed by him.


I saw me.


By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet.


"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was more," he said.


"No, sir. No more with me," I said. This really hit me hard. I realized
right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of
course, included me. But...no more with me. Count me out.


This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this
earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles.
Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?


My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he
had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased
and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines
that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those
were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.


"My friend, can I help you with those things?" I asked.


Hesitant at first, he finally said, "Well, yes, thank you!"


I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away
from the rush of people.


"So what are you shopping for, sir?"


"Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She's a young mother raising
kids on her own. She's always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for
Mother's Day..." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his inside pocket
of his sport coat.


"Do you need something?" I asked.


"Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me,"
he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and
handed me a business card that read:


"John A. Pomicter
Friend to all...enemy to no one!

I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!"


"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man."


"My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world
and I was part of the problem. Now I'll be part of the solution. No more
with me!"


"Then this was meant to be," he said smiling.

"You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special
person. You were my gift for today! Let's go get some chocolates, my
friend."




"Anonymous"