Author: Jemmie Jems

I was given a gift of food as a thank you at work for my help from a patient. I love getting gifts.

It was not something I liked, seeing i am not a fan of fruit cake, but I was grateful. She remembered me and took her time to find something for me.

I worked on Christmas Eve. I took the gift thinking to bring it home. On the subway, I saw a teenage girl sitting on the cold floor asking for money. Something told me to go to her. I walked up to her bent down and asked if she could do with this food gift.

Her face lit up. She looked me in the eyes.

She said. “Yes. Thank you. Thank you.” I gave it to her. She took it and hugged it. I walked away like a load was lifted from my body.

On the escalator, a man stood beside me. He said. “Acts of kindness go a long way.”

I asked. “You saw that?”

He answered. “I did.” Then he nodded as we got off the escalator and walked away.

I turned and went on my way, thinking how fortunate I am to have a gift I could give to someone in need. I am indeed blessed.

I have not seen that girl since, but I hope it was a blessing to her.

I am still a work in progress. I try to step away from my situations that are questionable and take a better look.

Jumping in with both guns blazing is always a problem for me. Practice makes perfect. The more I pause before I speak gets me the right answers, whereby I could make decisions and alter my behavior for my good.

As I look at the big picture, I see little things that can be of benefit. To discount them would cost me so much. So I try to stop and think. If that doesn’t work out, I move on to something else and learn from my lessons in my life.

For example, I listened to my sister when she advised me to make a simple call to a stranger. I could have cut her down, but I listened. I made the call, and that one action later launched my career.

I stopped, and I listened.

I hear it was beautiful at one time, before. Now, war torn, a place of death and destruction. It is so sad.

Sometimes, I need someone to talk to as I wade through my life. I pray for help, and believe it or not, God sends one of my sisters to say a kind word.

Kind words go a long way. She talks, I listen, and then she prays for me.

It warms my heart to know someone in this crazy world cares for me.

They had a lounge area of dark wood, crystal, glass, and brass hardware. Highback armchairs of dark brown buttery leather dotted along the main floor around a splatting of side tables, main tables, or alone under wall scones or the occasional floor lamp. Music played softly in the background; some jazz or some blues nothing too modern just enough to make you relax while taking a sip of your drink and sinking into your chair waiting for your meal to arrive.

Intimate but not too cozy, it was not a family restaurant. It was a wonderful steak house with the most delicious food and great service.

Then that hateful virus Covid hit and the city went on lockdown. The owners were old, and rent was a little too high. They were there for years and then decided to retire.

Closed and gone yet not forgotten.

Nothing lasts forever except for good memories of fine dining.