Showing Up

At my day job, I work in the reception area for the main non-profit that owns the office building, which houses a dozen other non-profits that provide health and human services. Our building is across the street from a county health service provider.

Gleefully, I greet people who walk into our office space. Many times they are looking for another agency than ours. The conversation flows something like this,

"I'm here to get my taxes done, I have a 9:00 meeting with..." "Oh," I reply, "you are looking for the agency upstairs. Just go one flight up and you'll see the sign for TAX HELP HERE."

- or -

"I need to get my hearing aids fixed. I have an appointment?" "Oh," I reply, "you are looking for the Division of Services for The Blind." (I say, chuckling to myself because it seems odd that the 'Services for the Blind' provides services for Hearing Impaired, too.) "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" and I repeat myself, pointing and shouting.

Last week, this interaction really topped them all.

"I have an appointment? " the visitor says.
"Oh," I inquire, "With whom?"
"Um, I'm not sure."
"Oh," I pause. "What time is your appointment?"
"This afternoon."
"Oh," I pause. "What's it about?"
"it's with someone about discrimination...?"

This is the strangest thing - the person has some vague notion that they have a meeting but aren't sure what time or with whom or where. We eventually figured out that I could not help at all. I encouraged them to look through their notes and find a name or phone number.

Then, right as I was shaking my head in wonder, I realized how often I approach God like this. '

"Um, God, it's me. I think I have an appointment with you. Maybe not you. Might be someone else. Not sure what we are going to talk about, or for how long, or what will come up."

And you know what? God always says to me, "Sure thing, fine! You just show up and we'll have a chat." And so I keep coming back for more. Just showing up to this moment and God's there.

With whom are you visiting, in this moment?