"Where have you been?"

This time of year always makes me a little more emotional than other times. I guess that is mostly because of loved ones that have passed on and it brings back some special memories. I also think about the less fortunate and kids that may not have any presents to open up on Christmas morning. I wish so badly that I could adopt a family for Christmas. Since I wasn't able to do all of that this year I did adopt two teen angels from the Salvation Army. That age group is usually forgotten about because little kids are so easy to buy for. At least I did some good. I get a feeling of sadness when I see an elderly man or woman out shopping all by themselves and look like they need help. I go and hold the door for them or help them pick up something they may have dropped. It's so very sad to see that the young folks these days have lost that respect and willing to help others. I want to instill that in my children in hopes that they will carry on with what I was taught: Always respect your elders. With that being said, I want to tell you about the experience I had this weekend. I was shopping in Sears at Southpoint mall. I saw an elderly lady roaming around with a very worried look on her face. We made eye contact and she came to me asking if I had seen a man with oxygen and pushing a buggy. I told her that I hadn't and that I was sorry. I then saw her go to the bathroom area and say "Jerry, are you in there?" I remembered that worried look I saw in her eyes and I know that feeling of not being able to find a loved one, for fear that something bad has happened to them. I began getting that emotional feeling of wanting to help, so I began to look all around that store in hopes to find the man with oxygen and pushing a buggy-I figured that'd be hard to miss. My heart was pounding because I was worried like that lady was. I was praying "Please, lord, let us find that man." I saw her a good distance away still looking around and I kept looking too, going through the aisles of pillows, standing on my tippy toes to see over everything to possibly catch a glimpse of that man. Still nothing. I had become very worried that maybe he had alzheimers and was lost. By that time, I had made my way around back to the cashier desk and that lady was standing there. She must have just told the cashier about her missing man. The lady turned around and said "Jerry! Where have you been?!" That was possibly the best feeling I've had in a long time! After that, I just laughed because she had the sweetest most southern voice and I can still hear that in my head: "Jerry! Where have you been?!".