Learning, change, and growth take place in the context of a love relationship.
People will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them
feel. Maya Angelou
Tarlika, a woman in her
mid-thirties sat on her back swing with her head in her hands. Her friend
Dorothy sat beside her.
"I hate my
job," said Tarlika. She worked for a temp agency, sorting warehouse items for shipment
because she had three teenage daughters to support. It was a hard vocation—long
hours on her feet. She wanted to look for better employment, but she was
afraid.
Tarlika and Dorothy
had been friends for several years. When Tarlika felt depressed and suicidal,
Dorothy sat on the back swing with her, and they talked. If Tarlika needed a
ride to church, Dorothy picked her up. They were friends on face book, and
texted each other often to ask about daily happenings.
Tarlika sighed. "What
if I'm not smart enough to work somewhere else? What if I'm too slow? What if .
. ."
"Stop,"
said Dorothy.
"I'll help you
find something. You're a hard worker and very dependable. You'll be
great."
Dorothy took Tarlika to
register with an employment service that had a great mentoring program. She drove
Tarlika to the meetings every week.
With each meeting
Tarlika gained confidence. Toward the end of the course, she had enough courage
to apply for a better job. She was scared, but at her last meeting with the
employment service, she reported that she had an interview with the new company.
The teacher videotaped Tarlika rehearsing the job interview.
"You did
great," said Dorothy when the class viewed the tape.
"I did
okay," said Tarlika with a smile.
Two weeks later
Tarlike received a phone call from the new company. She got the job. She called
Dorothy and asked her to come sit on the back step with her. She had good news.
When she and Dorothy
were settled in the back swing, Tarlika said, "I got the
job."
Dorothy grinned and
hugged her. "I knew you would. Congratulations."
Tears welled up in
Tarlika's eyes as she looked at Dorothy. "I think of you as my mom, and I
couldn't have a better mom than you."
Dorothy, in her quiet
way, had loved Tarlika enough that Tarlika had courage to change her life.
Others helped. The employment agency teachers were great, and other members of
the class cheered Tarlika on.
Surrounded by love,
Tarlika became better than she thought she could be.
I have a goal every
day to find a way to make someone's life a little better—a little richer.
Helping others feel loved, brings love into your own life. Try it!
Love is contagious.