I visited the Macy's cosmetics department yesterday afternoon to buy my favorite make-up. No, it was not THAT Macy's. Our local Macy's is closed for an indeterminate time, since it is currently a crime scene, and blocked off from the public. I went to the Bellingham Macy's because I had just led a class nearby, and felt compelled to visit and buy the makeup I had run out of.
It was in between busy times at the Clinique counter, so a nice young woman helped me out right away. She was quiet, and I asked her how she was doing. She said she spent the first half of the day totally mute: wasn't able to talk. As the day rolled along, she got into the swing of a busy day and was able to communicate again. I said that her feelings were normal, and please be kind to herself and her fellow workers. She sighed, "I will. You know, I could have been working at that other Macy's right now. But the opportunity to work at this store came up, and I took it..." She grew quiet again, and busied herself with finding my foundation color.
I shared about my connection to the event:
That Friday night, I had my purse in one hand and keys in the other, ready to take advantage of a semiannual special of getting a free bag of goodies with my makeup purchase. I figured I'd go while I had a little bit of time. And then, I couldn't get myself out the door. I thought: "Elke, focus! You have way to much to do at home!" and put my purse and keys away. The time was 6:10 PM. The Mall is 45 minutes from my home. The shooting happened around 7:00 PM.
Makeup purchased, we gazed at each other, I gently touched her on her arm, and said "Bless you," and went out to the sunny afternoon. It is said that things happen for a reason, yet the shooting was totally unreasonable and horribly senseless. And there may not be much sense made of it in the future either. We can, however, offer more than platitudes: We can offer our kindnesses even more so. We can be there to support each other. We can offer solutions to some pretty intense problems such as mental illness and violence. For now, I will do a ceremony and light 5 candles in honor of the deceased. And I will say thank you to Creator for my life. I am breathing and feeling and so glad to be.
with love,
Elke