Today was the Best Day Ever at TLPTC! Oh my goodness – we were BUSY!! How, how, how did we have enough food? How in the heck did we have enough time? How in the world did we have enough volunteers? I don’t know, but it was Great! It was Energizing! It was Joyful! It was Amazing!
This morning I was showing two new volunteers around. They’ve been there maybe 5 minutes when one of my favorite shoppers comes up. This guy – I love him so much. He’s sweet and sincere and a little rough around the edges and…… colorful - ok, we’ll go with that. He’s colorful. So, he comes up and starts carrying on – nothing bad – something you would say to your friends, but maybe not in front of someone you didn’t know. So, I looked at these new volunteers and had to explain.
We have created an environment where people can be themselves. You don’t have to pretend, you don’t have to be meek, you don’t have to be awkwardly humble. You don’t have to be perfect. We love you right where you. You can be yourself, even if you are colorful.
But, I know that out in the real world it’s different. Out there they are Homeless, they are Alcoholics, they are Indigent, they are Felons, they are Judged and they are Labeled and quickly Discarded – without even being Known. But in here, they are just Mason and Jackie and Mary. They are Funny and Generous and Intelligent. They are not their actions or addictions or their pasts. They are Real and Loved.
I scanned the new volunteers’ faces – waiting for the look of horror. Not there – they said “I love it!” I instantly knew that they were in the right place and so was I.