“Z”

 October 29, 2021

The creek that circles around behind our home is raging tonight. Though it sits on gravel, our lawn has standing puddles and is soggy and spongy to the step. This has been the rainiest summer and autumn I can remember, and the forecast shows little sign of letting up in the near future. It’s been so wet that things that have sat in the drawers of our bedroom dressers have mildewed. If this persists through winter, we’ll be shoveling tunnels in the snow. 

This afternoon, I met a gentleman in a McDonald’s parking lot east of Rochester, about 150 miles from home. He had some Prius wheels for sale at a bargain price, and I needed a set to mount the winter snow tires I bought a couple weeks ago. If the precipitation persists, I’m definitely going to need them! 

We talked about living where we do, and despite rain and snow, neither of us have any complaints. We don’t (often) get tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, mud slides, drought, floods, forest fires, or any of countless other natural disasters that plague so many parts of our country. We get…snow. That’s about it. The occasional high wind may topple a few trees, but those events are usually pretty localized. Once in awhile, conditions are just right for an ice storm that brings down electric lines, but most of the time, it’s just the snow.

When men get together, we usually talk about our jobs, sports, politics (depending on how much we’re itching for a fight), or the weather. Most of the time, we’re complaining about whichever topic is hot for discussion, so a casual weather conversation that sees the positive side of things was a welcome gift today. So, although he may not have realized it, “Z” was a messenger from God to me today, with a positive attitude and a zest for life that was inspirational. A handshake and a smile, and we parted ways, most likely never to meet again. That’s OK; his enthusiasm was infectious. Tomorrow, I’ll have the opportunity to pass it along as I help watch over our church’s craft show. Maybe there’ll be someone there who needs encouragement; if so, I have some to spare, thanks to my new friend today, for whom I give thanks tonight.