Lessons From the Pretzel Man

13 Mar

Every morning on my way to work, I pass a very dedicated man selling pretzels at a stop sign. He's always got a smile on his face, and he's always waving to the passers-by. He is there through the dead of winter and the muggy St. Louis summers. He has been known to shield his pretzels from the rain with an oversize umbrella. There have been but a few times he's not been out when I drove by. And you know what? I missed seeing him there. I missed his smile. I missed his wave. I missed his presence. He has become part of my morning routine. I wonder how many people drive by him every day and never give him the first thought. I'll bet there are people who have never even noticed he was there! Just one of the many things I notice that others seem to look through or past. What value do I find in noticing a pretzel man on a corner? As with anyone or anything else that I notice, I figure I'm noticing them for a reason and I ask myself, "What can I learn from this?" So many times I actually come up with the answer right away. Sometimes it may seem like an off the wall answer to anyone else, however it rings perfectly true for me. And so it is with any "signal" or "sign" we may encounter along our pathway. We see what we want to see. Just as there's selective hearing, there's also selective sight! Think about it... How many times have you gotten a new car and then you notice them everywhere where you hardly noticed them previously. When you are open to receiving signs, you have teachers everywhere! Everyone you encounter is a teacher because we can all learn something from another person. We just have to be willing to listen and be open to receiving the lesson. And it's not always a person who can teach us. We learn from our furry friends as well. They have a tremendous amount to teach us! So, my point in all of this is simple: Pay attention to what's around you. You may never know what lessons await you. So, I thank you, Mr. Pretzel Man. Maybe one of these days I'll stop by and buy a pretzel and grab another lesson or two...