VENDOR WRITING

SMILE

BY JOHN B.

I’ve had customers say, John, everytime I see you as I come by you’re smiling. How is that. I answered, “I guess I’m just grateful. Even though my world can be up-side-down but I just put it in God’s hand. And you know what, He’s always on time.”

Then you have those who make a fake smile. I’ve always felt those are the ones it’s very hard to trust, undependable, ones you never turn your back too, but pray for them.

Tell you a story, one day shortly after New Years Day, a guy pass and turn around and passed again. Very cold out, he asked, what in the world could you be smiling about. I explained, First of all, I’m glad to still be living and also I’m glad you stopped. I have a article I wrote and next time you see me, tell me what you think. He left and five minutes later, he returned and gave me all the money in his wallet. He had tears of joy in his eyes because I’d brighten his day, just because of something I said. When he left, I counted the money he’d gave me and I’d never gotten such a huge amount. He said, John, whatever you do, don’t ever stop writing. Now everytime I see him he has a big smile, even though he has dark tented window, he roll down the window and smile.

Believe it or not a smile tell a lot about you. A fake smile also speaks for itself too. Remembering back when dad was alive, he’d sat on the porch and many time I’d sneak upon him and he’s smiling so hard he’s practically laughing. I guess it’s a gift God gave to his children who depend on him and put your life in his hands. I guess if that’s the fact, why frown.

STORMS IN MY LIFE

BY JUNE P.

Life is a very precious gift (I) we receive every morning. That I know myself I am very grateful for. And thank God, Jesus, Lord, all day and every night for this blessing I received today, and every day, I do.

I’ve had a lot of storms these last few months, well, year. One big storm last year was when my momma passed in March. She is a great momma, miss her so much. Then a couple weeks ago my oldest sister passed of COVID, on a ventilator almost two weeks. Laying here at Sarah Cannon Cancer Center I’m feeling like God is trying to prepare me for death.

I try real hard to let my God be in control and he is. But he put people, things, sent all to us, put in our lives to give us wisdom and gut feelings, people in our lives that help us. Well I call them Earth Angels. That have been put in my life to help me. I am so grateful and thank them all for this year. I’ve had 10 weeks of chemo, six weeks of radiation. with lung cancer. The 19th I find out if it helped. Well most of these Earth Angels are my customers. I AM GRATEFUL. My car caught on fire the first week I started chemo, so with no car, my customers have taken turns taking be back and forward to treatment every day for six weeks. Thank you God and Earth Angels.

VISIBLE HOMELESSNESS

BY PAUL A.

There's a big rumor going around that they're going to take some of the homeless and put them out by the airport. They're going to open a camp out there by the airport. And they're gonna have two choices. They either go to the Mission, or they go to that camp. It's supposed to be another Tent City, from what I understand.

It's a temporary fix. But it ain't a total fix. Right, what we need to do is some of them Tiny Homes, more of them. Business owners are getting tired of the homeless sleeping in a doorway and so on and so forth. And I can't blame the business owners for that. With this town being a tourist town. It does not make the city look good with all the homeless laying in doorways and all that. I understand that people so let's all get together and try to figure it out and do something about it. That's the way I think.