Thirty years ago my dad launched a campaign to transform me into a twenty-something who took an interest in politics. Of course I rebelled and refused to comply. I remember quite a few nights at Pizza Haven in which he would besiege me with questions from the top headlines of the week. As a surgical technologist student, I counterattacked with questions pertaining to human anatomy and physiology. That was the dance my dad and I did as soon as I became a teenager. It was who we were, and I don’t regret any of those nights.
Today I have an interest in politics bordering on obsession that would have my dad beaming with pride. This newfound passion has led me to 24 hour news networks, Stephen Colbert, and Twitter. I can spend hours scrolling through page after page and thread after thread of tweets. A couple weeks ago this tweet by Packer legend Donald Driver stopped my index finger in its track;
I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness-
It is right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude
The words from #80 made me think of a former resident who was, and still is, the embodiment of gratitude. I can’t think of a more appropriate person to write about during this month of Thanksgiving.
Mary arrived at Frederick Place last April after she was abruptly evicted and had nowhere to go. She wandered aimlessly for a night and a good part of the next day. She eventually sought help at the domestic violence shelter, and they in turn helped her contact us. The first time I saw Mary she appeared to have the kind of tired one sees in someone after their spirit has been broken. She only spoke when asked a question and spent quite a bit of that evening listlessly wandering around the property. The next day she seemed to have a little more energy and was not as guarded. By the end of her first week there was a twinkle in her eyes, and her laughter was music to our ears. In a week’s time this broken woman’s demeanor had done a 360 simply because she had been shown kindness and compassion.
Mary hit the ground running, and before long had a part time job she loved. Unfortunately she was let go after a short time because business was slow and there wasn’t enough for her to do. That event was the beginning of Mary’s roller-coaster ride of joy and disappointment. A few days after losing her job she was notified that her application for an apartment was rejected due to a background check mistake. Appeal letters were written and her application was eventually accepted. Things were looking up until Mary was notified that their wait list was several months longer than her stay with us would last. While Mary was waiting for the verdict on her appeal, she entered the partnership program Frederick Place has with Goodwill. A job meant Mary could apply for housing assistance through Newcap. She applied, was approved, and excitedly waited for her Newcap appointment to get her housing voucher. Mary made phone call after phone call and waited for prospective landlords to call her back. When I arrived at work one night in August Mary was absolutely giddy and with good reason. She had found the perfect place. Her future landlord was so happy they had found each other that she had enveloped Mary in a big bear hug. Finally things were going right! A few days later Mary received word that the landlords had talked to other family members and had decided to retire from the landlord business. Mary’s despair was palpable. We all worried when she started to look like she did when she arrived. Broken. Mary allowed herself to grieve for one night, then started her housing hunt again the next day. It didn’t take too long to find another place she liked. She was approved as a tenant, and her quest entered the inspection phase as required by Newcap. Shortly after the inspection Mary was notified that the owner did not want to make the few minor repairs needed for the apartment to pass the inspection. Mary took this obstacle in stride, kept her positive attitude, and began searching again. When I returned from my days off I expected Mary to tell me she was waiting to hear from a third landlord. Instead I was greeted by Mary excitedly telling me that the third landlord had agreed to fix the things that needed fixing and she would be moving soon. I never officially learned why this landlord had a change of heart but I’m pretty sure one of our angels whose office is located at Frederick Place made a phone call that was instrumental in making Mary’s dream of having her own place come true. All who know Mary are forever indebted to this angel.
In between the lines of this chronological chain of events is the story of a kind and beautiful soul who refused to surrender her dreams as she lived life on life’s terms. Mary’s world was full of blessings because she paid attention to the little things, and those little things helped her get through the downward trajectory of her all too familiar roller-coaster ride. She was grace under pressure and exuded gratitude. Mary took the last line of this Albert Einstein quote to heart;
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.
Mary, herself, is a miracle, and I am eternally grateful to her for reminding me what really matters in my life.
