Fast Forward to Monday....

this apparently is my time to learn a thing or two about "giving" and "helping."

This afternoon I had to go to the DC office for Medicaid.  I needed help with the form, and it's so much easier to just go there and talk to them.  You sign in, get a number, and wait in line till they call it.

the woman in line ahead of me had three huge bags she was wrangling, one of which was right in my way.  So I moved it closer to her.

"You don't touch my bags!" she said.  "My mother raised me to be independent, and I am VERY independent!!  I went to COLLEGE and got a 4.0!!  I don't need any help from anyone!"  (So I'm thinking, but not saying, "well, why are you here at the DC office for HELP??")  I just smiled, held up my hands, and backed away. 

I, of course, was there because I truly needed HELP understanding DC's form, which they sent to me
in the mail.  And because I've done this before, I know that showing up and talking to them works better than trying to talk wiht them on the phone!  Not just because I'm deaf, but because if we can
resolve everything when i'm right there, all I'll have to do is drop the form in the box by the security officer, and bob's your uncle. 

That's what happened again, today.  Meanwhile, the independent woman was in the back of the room pointing to various folks in line--"It's no wonder they can't get a job, the way they look!"  she didn't notice that some of them were close to tears. 

I was very gratified when one of the DC employees in uniform, like a guard?....made her move her bags out of the way so others could approach the helping persons at the desk.

And so it goes.  I am totally grateful for all the help I get--from anyone, anywhere.