Our Memory’s Are Important, A Neighbourly Exchange
I have been having my white dress shirts with French cuffs well looked after and pressed at my local dry cleaners for years. Drop one off and pick one up so that I can always have one on hand. As a top-of-the-line freelancer and self-employed business owner, one must always look their best, keeping in mind the OG classy approach, with best polished foot forward.
On the drop-off today, I was curious and intrigued by the lady at the counter paying for her order, she had all cash and was asking the gentleman at the counter, would you like coins, she had an elegant change purse, which I love and when cash was king, I always had one in my briefcase or backpack. This whole exchange took me back, as she was leaving, she noticed the white shirt I was dropping off.
She began with, oh my this brings back memories for me, my husband now departed always loved a nice crisp hand-ironed white dress shirt and I used to do this for him. She spoke with such love and affection for this task and this life partner now passed. I said yes there is nothing like old school and a good white shirt, she looked at me, smiled agreed, and said our memories are important.
It was an A-Ha moment, perhaps it was the mood of the day, a new month, the sunshine, and being at this dry cleaners which was one of the first I came to, to have my flight attendant uniform and catering shirts dry cleaned professionally. The moment within this exchange touched my heart and got me thinking, yes, you're right dear neighbor in passing, our positive memories are what hold us up during times of extra challenges, and new life stresses, especially those that give us a moment to pause, reflect, and count our blessings.
I looked in the full-length mirror of this family-owned business that has been sold and bought well over four times, yet it still stands. The reflection back reminded me that I have been in this glorious city of Vancouver that has always welcomed and been so good to me since the late seventies when I would pass through in platform shoes enroute to San Francisco. The visual I saw was a mature well-traveled gentleman now, who when people see along these West End streets, I would be proud to be referred to as one of the seasoned locals.
Memories that stay with us that can come up and be viewed like some of our favorite Netflix shows, pressed on repeat reminding us of how we are loved by others and whom we love, such as a dear friend who always welcomed me to Toronto stay for long periods of time, and put the word out to other professionals to book me for a few upscale events, seminars and talks so my visit home was not just filled with creating new memories but the extra funds to stay longer and more time with family, local travel and friends that I would not see as much as time seems to happen for all of us.
Other memories of introducing all of the top fun fashion big city folks and rock and roll stars of the day to my mom Doris, who may have grown up and preferred to live in a small town outside of Toronto, yet had a style and wit all of her own, these exchanges with close friends who became like family and Doris, always made me blush with pride and a touch of did she just say that with a charm and worldliness that comes from being one's self, and Mother Doris taught me this and had it tenfold.
Today while reading this new post, perhaps you have been called back to a recent or faraway time that will never be again, an act of kindness that restored your faith in humanity, reminding you to keep on keeping on when all seemed bleak or a time of oy vey enough already, those times that bring the laughter and a reminder to maintain ones humour. My memories today reflect many abundant blessings shared with others, they continue to inspire and remind me to live with a forward perspective, yet hold, to those times that brought you to this very moment and to create new ones.