I have been lucky to meet a number of wonderful people over the years. Some of them, I don’t even recall their names — some are more shadowy, while some are crystal clear.

Love does not always come wrapped in a tidy little package, complete with a bow and instructions for use.  It very often comes and goes with little or no warning, and if you’re not paying attention you may miss it completely.  A gesture, an offering of light, hope, a path, empathy; these are the gifts that were proffered that made my journey easier.

A look of anger or disgust, disappointment or hurt; these can be offerings of love too. They have let me look at my own intentions and issues, to grow and become strong.  There are times when things happened that I didn’t like that seemed horrible and saddened me to the core.  Often, in time, I saw how those moments were truly a blessing in disguise.  It is only as I have gotten older that I have been able to view these events in a positive light.

What I do know is that I have been very lucky.  I have been presented with exactly what I need to grow as a person and the standard form of luck where I have won many cool things. Like wining a trip for four to Disney World from McDonald’s, when I “super sized” my fries (Ed Note: I never hear of people winning those things, and that is AWESOME!). It is a good thing that I had not seen “Super Size Me” prior or else I would not have ordered those fries. I have not eaten at a McDonalds since the movie, although I understand they have revamped their menu to include healthier choices.

There have also been many times that I have wondered why things didn’t work out for me and I have been very disappointed, only to find out later (maybe even years) that it was very lucky life had presented itself as it had.
It seems easier to look from the outside in at someone else’s life and see the positive.  For instance, I love the Toms shoe commercials where the guy gets to give a new pair of shoes to people that wouldn’t normally be able to have a pair; he says he loves his job.  I love his job too.  I see that and think, “Wow! that looks like the best job someone could have and wonder why that’s not me on those commercials”.  So instead I just buy those shoes and know that for every pair I buy he gets to give a pair to someone in need.

Now…. although I am not giving away a pair of shoes; at the Stanford Terrace Inn we find our own special way of giving.  We give away hotel rooms.  We give to numerous local schools and charities for their annual fundraisers. We donate to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital through the Hotels with a Heart program, and to Stanford Medical Center for families who need assistance with accommodations when their loved ones are in the hospital. We volunteer with Care - a - Van for kids by giving rides to medical patients who have no other way to get to their appointments.

So, we are doing what we can, and maybe, just maybe, I *am* like the Toms shoe guy.  Now all I need is an emotionally stirring, fun commercial on the major networks to make my dream of the perfect job come true.

[ED NOTE: We are totally working on the commercial Barbara. =)]