A humbling day

The day began as any other. Ride over to the Church for Mass, pray, walk the dog, go to the trolley stop. OK pause. Here is my first uplifting humility for the day:

I sat awaiting the arrival of the trolley. Talking with a young man who was going to school downtown, we greeted an elderly woman. She was sharing with us her relief that the trolley drivers were not on strike. Strike? I did not even know there was talk of strike, let alone it could be going on today! I voiced my ignorance simply and asked about the situation. Turning for comfort to this other guy, did you know there was a possible strike? Of course, he replied! Well, living in my own little world, I was glad to be informed of this breaking news (well, breaking to me at least) so as to keep my eyes more closely on the situation which may affect my daily commute.

life resumed as normal, simple trolley ride, walk to Catholic Charities, start paperwork for the refugee services. Then i was asked to escort two men, my age, to the bank to open a checking account. I got directions and was handed a check for another client who had forgotten to take it with him.

Walking along I asked, "So, how long have you been in the US?" seemed like a typical question to me... "I was born here!" Woops! One of them was born here and one was a refugee! I should have known this was only a start. So we reach the bank. "Umm excuse me where do I go to sign up for a checking account?" You see my bank is completely online and so I have never done face-to-face banking! They call us to meet with one of the employees and I still have not found the owner of this check that I have in my hand! All questions are directed towards me, yet I have zero of the answers! I am just there to accompany! The gentleman born here asked the lady helping us, "Are there any other PNC banks in the area?" Then upon finding out there was another within a half-block suggested that perhaps they were there! Silly me! Well, off I charge, leaving them to create their own checking account as they obviously can do this better than I. Tra la la... hmm I found the bank. Nobody there! Ok, I guess I return to the first one and perhaps they were on a different side of the building... I am completely lost now. I return to find the two men I was with are gone!!! Now I have not only NOT found the man I am looking for, but I have also lost the TWO I was with!!! Ahh! I try calling back to the office. nobody there! Oh dear Lord, what do I do now?? So I decide to go back to the other bank in hopes that the two men decided to go there.

They meet me as I re-exit the bank. "We found the man you are looking for, but you still have the check!" "What! Where?" "At the other bank, they are sitting out front!" So they took me down to find them. And there they were, at the other entrance to the bank, patiently waiting for me! How silly. I was there to be the guide and to help, but rather they helped me and guided me! Well, teaching me humility!

Thus proving once again that when you think you can help someone, most likely, they can help you more!