Do you even know my name?

My husband and I have family memberships at two gyms.  Gym A is a little more expensive, but my husband likes the fact that it's never really crowded and he can get a little more attention than he can at gym B.  I personally like gym B because while I'm doing zumba, the boys can go to the courts and play basketball.  You would think with two memberships, that I would be "twiggy" right now. (Don't judge me, just pray for your girl!)

I hadn't been going to gym A with my husband as I had been developing my own workout routine, so I didn't know that the lady who cleans the lady's locker room had been ill.  One day Byron came home and mentioned that he hadn't seen the little African American lady who always asked about me and talked to me, whether I was on the elliptical or in the locker room.  When he went back another day, he asked about her and the staff told him that she had been moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation center.  That day we decided that we would find her and go visit.  She wasn't a church member, but we had come in contact with her so many times that we felt like we really knew her and thought a surprise visit would cheer her up.  Needless to say, we got busy with life and didn't pursue it anymore.  (Remember I don't frequent gym A regularly, because I'm usually at the gym B or running outside. Out of sight, out of mind.)

Yesterday, I decided to visit gym A and get in a good workout.  As I was leaving, I asked one of the manager's in the office about the cleaning lady.  The bad thing was that I didn't even know her name.  When I began to describe who I was talking about, she immediately said her name allowed... Barbara.  She told me that she'd heard that she had been released from the rehab center and was now at home, however she had no new information about her condition.  Feeling really badly that I had missed an opportunity to visit her in the rehab center, I mentioned that I would like to send her a card.  I asked her if there was I way that I could get a message to her, knowing that they probably couldn't give me her personal information.  I just figured that if I brought something back to the gym that at least the staff could get something to Barbara or her family. Well wasn't I shocked when the lady said, "I don't know her last name".  Huh???!!!

This woman has worked here for at least 5 years, if not longer, and the staff doesn't even know her last name!!!!  She mentioned that she was hired by another department, so technically they had no background information on her. My heart sank!

Not only did I talk to this woman on the regular and didn't know that Barbara was her first name, but the very people who worked with her Monday - Friday for the last 5-10 years didn't know her last name or anything else about her.  It got me thinking about people, in general,  and how it might feel to be invisible.  I'm all about connecting with individuals, but I realized that I had missed a chance to truly connect with Barbara.

How many times do you see the same person day in and day out, yet you don't know their name or anything else about them?  This is especially true for individuals who provide a service: the janitor, the mailman, the nail tech, the receptionist, the bus driver, the IT person who recovered your missing documents or the store clerk where you get coffee everyday.  Honestly, I don't think any of us start the day planning to ignore other individuals who might not look like us, be in the same profession or social status.  But we do it anyway!

If it weren't for the mail carrier, you would not receive the mail.
If it weren't for the janitor, that office bathroom would be atrocious. (You remember what is was like when your nasty coworker left the bathroom this morning.  Yucky!)
If it weren't for the nail tech, everyone would see how jacked up your nail beds truly are.
If it weren't for the bus driver, you'd have to find another means to get to work on time.
If it weren't for the IT person, your job cold have been in jeopardy due to missing files.
If it weren't for the receptionist, you would  have been denied access and would still be sitting in the waiting room.

What am I trying to say???

It might take a little time on your part, but it's so important to make a daily connection with someone.  It doesn't matter if they are of a different race or social class!  It is so important to not allow life to pass you by just because you simply passed others by without saying a word.
I'm reminded of a song that I learned, as a I child,  in Sunday school.

"Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world

Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in is sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world"

Simply put, everyone is worthy to be recognized and loved.  My challenge for you today, is to make an effort to get to know that one person whom you pass by everyday.  Find out their name.  Ask "how are you doing today?" and actually wait for the reply. Try to make a meaningful connection.  Why? It is imperative for us all to stop, appreciate the moment and recognize the individuals whom God has placed along our journey.  You don't know what a simple smile or acknowledgement can do for that individual.

Now walk it out................and connect with someone today!