I almost said nothing, but I'd been thinking about it for a few weeks. "You wear your sparkly headband so well. It looks great on you," I said to a local Starbucks worker. "Every day," she said, "I come to work wearing my apron and my sparkles. Can't leave home without my sparkles." She stepped closer to me as I explained I have this extra sparkly headband at home I've been wanting to give her. The accessory shop, when I was picking out hair jewels for my daughter's wedding, was having a buy two, get a third item free sale, so I picked out this headband that really didn't work on me. "But," I explained, "I think it would look so pretty on you." Her eyes were filled with tears as she listened and expressed her gratitude. I wasn't sure whether it was for noticing her or having the thought to bless her, but clearly she was touched.
The next day I was leaving town and stopped at Starbucks with the sparkly piece in hand. Disappointed to see the headband-wearing barista wasn't there, I inquired of the person working the cash register about when she would be in again. "Tomorrow morning is her last shift," he said. "She is quitting work to take care of her grandmother, who is ill." He explained how dear she is to everyone with whom she works and how missed she will be. I borrowed his pen he uses to write on people's cups and with it wrote on the tag of the headband, "Ashley, keep sparkling every day."
I picture her now donning a different apron, in a sense, a different headpiece, serving her grandmother and brewing blessings and love in a different arena. I love to think of her crowned with the love of God and being the hands and feet of Jesus. And I say a prayer for Ashley as she cares for her grandmother and a prayer of thanks that God gave me courage to follow a tiny desire I had to bless her.
And to think I almost said nothing.
Diane Mann, 2016
