Unexpected Encouragement

Sometime life throws you the unexpected, and not always in a bad way. Sometimes it gives you the boost you need in a way you never would have expected…

This morning I had a call from the appliance repairman. The part for my oven was in and he could come to fix it today! Overjoyed doesn’t begin to describe how I was feeling. Especially after letting my family eat at a fast food place yesterday, and everyone feeling a little ill afterwards. An hour after the call, here comes Mr. Repairman, who is a bit older than I expect.

RM: “Good morning young lady”, he says when I answer the door. (Yeah I like you already!) “I’m here to fix your stove. Your husband was here the other day when I came, and had the wrong part.”

Me: “Come on in! I’m sure glad to see you; I thought I was going to have to wait another week to get this thing fixed.”

RM: “Nope part came in early, and your husband told me you use the oven all the time, so I thought I’d get it fixed for you today. Good thing you’re still covered under warranty. You know these days there aren’t so many who use their oven a lot. They don’t make these ovens nowadays for heavy use”.

Me: “Well I do use that thing everyday, and before I know it, I’ll need it for canning all that good stuff from our garden.”

RM: “I kinda guessed you were a home canner”. At this point he is halfway inside the oven. I hear a muffled voice from inside. “How often do you clean this thing?”

Me: (Crap, I’m about to get hell for not cleaning the oven enough). “I don’t know, I guess every couple of months or so… when it’s dirty.”

RM: “You clean this thing too much.”

Me: "WHAT? Too much?! Uuum, I have to tell you no one has ever accused me of cleaning anything too much. Laughing, take a look around you’ll see what I mean."

RM: “I see”, he says in a quiet voice, and looking me in the eye. “I see a house full of living. I see a note that says I love mom and dad, I see papers hanging with good grades. I see signs of happy kids, who have parents that are proud and love them. Those things I don’t see at every house I visit”. Smiling, “I’m 74, and I have bad eyes... love I can see. Dust… well that I don’t see so good”.

Me: Tearing up, I smile, and manage to choke out a thank you for the kind words.

RM: “Your welcome. Still, you clean this thing too much. It burns out the heating element a lot faster when you use the self cleaning button.”

Me: “Yeah, but that’s what the clean button is for. Think they’ll ever invent one to do the bathroom, or a teenager’s bedroom?”

RM: Laughing “Highly unlikely!” “All done. I’ll be back tomorrow for the test dinner.”

Me: “It’s a deal”

RM: Smiling “Have a great afternoon, and I’ll see you next time you burn this baby up.”


When you need it most, encouragement can come from the smallest of gestures, simplest of words and from the most unexpected sources. You just have to recognize it, and appreciate it.

Blessings!

Dana