Holidays show up even when we are not ready for them. This was the case for me this year. After all of the wrapping and cooking, we visited my son's church for a beautiful candlelight service. Even my grandsons had their little candles in their hands and patiently waited for that moment when they would be able to have them lit and hold them up for all to see.
The service was just what I needed to sit and think about the true meaning of Christmas. I loved the music and message. Plus, we were able to see some old friends that we had not seen in a while. I wanted everything to just sort of slow down, and somehow it did.
Towards the end of the service, many of us were shocked to hear a cell phone ring. It was one of those sharp, obnoxious ringtones. We waited for the owner to quickly turn it off, and I actually felt sorry for the person thinking how embarrassed I would be if my phone had been left on to disturb others. None of us could believe it when we heard the lady answer and talk on the phone. She was sitting right behind us, so I heard the whole conversation. The amazing part for me was that she was a senior citizen. We had all ages in our pew, and everyone turned to see who she was. She ignored the fact that people were looking at her, and talked for about two minutes.
The service was still beautiful, and in a strange way, this rude woman brought people even closer together. A few people smiled and others shook their heads, but we were all connected. Of course, no one said anything to her. Some might have even thought she was having a senior moment. Regardless of age, deliberately ignoring the feelings of others is never okay. If she had been a teenager, someone probably would have reprimanded her.
Being nice to others is the way to go.
