Blessing on the Other Side

I’m lucky that I have the opportunity to work from home.Over the past week I have been bored with my office so I have set up shop in the kitchen. I’m always amazed how my mood changes when I switch environments.This evening I had my laptop on the counter and I had moved all the chairs out of the way so I could practice a training I will be presenting next week in Mystic, Connecticut. Yes, home to the famous MysticPizza, the movie where Julie Roberts got her start. I haven’t seen the movie, but I have added it to my Netflix DVD Queue and it should be here by Friday.

Anyways, as I was practicing I could hear children laughing outside.The doorbell rang and I knew it would be kids selling something.Since I have been on this gift giving journey, I enjoy the kids that go door to door. I also appreciate that the parents in my neighbor send their kids to be the salesman and don’t do the work for their kids.Today, I actually hesitated whether or not to answer the door. I had bought chicken and potatoes a couple of weeks ago, raffle tickets a week after that and a couple of boxes of chocolates last week.But I figured, what the heck, I needed a gift for today.

I opened the door and the most adorable blond haired blue eye boy and girl stood there smiling. The little girl was holding a box and the boy had the paperwork.They were a team and both did the talking. The little boy explained he was in the Boy Scoutsand was selling popcorn.I was shocked when he said this was his second year, because he seemed so young to be in the Boy Scouts. Good for him!I took the sheet, reviewed the list of yummy items and settled on a bag of Cheddar Popcorn, my favorite!I asked if they need the money today and he exclaimed, “Today or tomorrow, but we do take checks, see.” Then proceeded to pull out and show me a check, just in case I wasn’t for sure what one looked like.

I asked if they wanted to come in while I went and got some money. The little boy replied, “I would love to come in, I’ve been outside all day.” As if to express that standing outside was more exhausting than standing inside.I ran upstairs, grabbed the money and hurried back down as not to keep them waiting.When I hit the bottom step the boy said, “You sure do have a lot of shoe boxes.”

I turned to look into my reading room and noticed half the wall filled as high as I could reach with shoeboxes.The room has been this way for a couple of weeks, so I have stopped noticing them.I shared with the children that I was collecting shoe boxes to fill with toys and school supplies to send to needy children around the world.The young boy looked up at me and simply said, “COOOL!”Without knowing anymore he turned around as if to leave and then said, “I have some toys I could give you for the shoeboxes.”

I asked them if they wanted to see all the things I had collected and in unison they said yes, “I walked them into the living room and both of their eyes widen.The young boy immediately blurted out, “Awesome!”He gently tiptoed to the edge, and carefully looked over each pile of items.He picked up a necklace and asked what it said, I said, “Jesus.”He put it back in the box and picked up a bouncy ball, bounced it once and put it back.

The young girl pointed to a large box and asked if those were all crayons.She then said, “I have lots of Barbie’s do you think they would like to get a Barbie in their shoebox. I could give you some of mine.” I said, “I think they would like that.”

The boy then noticed my pile of cars. He said, “I have two boxes full of cars that I don’t play with, do you want them?” I said, “You don’t have to give them to me, but if you want to, that would be nice.”
As they started to walk out of the living room, the young boy walked back to the bucket of colorful bouncy balls and said, “Can I have one?”I smiled and said, “Yes.”I asked the little girl if she wanted one, she nodded, picked up a ball and placed it in her box.As the boy started to leave he turned around and said, “Can I have a necklace instead?”
I said, “Sure.”
He placed the ball back on top of the pile with the other balls, pick up a necklace and put it around his neck.As they were walking back outside I asked if they were twins. They said no, giggled, and said “Just friends, we live down the road from each other.”I smiled and thought about the boy that lived down the road from me when I was little. We were inseparable on most days and I’m sure we had gone selling door to door together as kids.

As they left, I was so glad I had answered the door.   I didn’t know a blessing was standing on the other side. An opportunity missed if I would have pretended no one was home, something I have shamelessly done a time or two before.You know what I loved tonight? I loved that without a long explanation the kids got the idea of the shoeboxes, that without me asking or even insinuating, they both offered something they had.Maybe they will come back with their toys to donate and maybe they won’t. I really don’t care.I think just sharing the story, spending time with them, being kind and giving a necklace and a bouncy ball was what this night was meant to be about.

Next time your door bell rings, answer it, there may be a blessing on the other side.