In our midst

In 1951, J.D. Sallinger wrote The Catcher in the Rye. This classic story has been widely used as a study in High School literature for many years, and the lessons it teaches keep coming back to me more and more as years go on.

I remember writing a comparative essay in the final year of High School involving Sallinger's work and Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The thesis for my essay was something along the lines of those who search for meaning in their lives often travel far and wide to find the answer to their questions, only to discover that the answers are right in their proverbial back yards.

This lesson came back to me today as I watched the staff here in the office going and coming. There is always someone visiting throughout the day, and the staff members here are always courteous to those who knock at our door. We try our best to greet all people with a smile or a pleasant word, and to attend to their individual requests as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Whether it's the secretary, the housekeeper, the handiman or the cook, all these people are very generous with their time and talents, and all are ready to lend a helping hand whenever necessary to make things run as smoothly as possible.

Often, it's only when we have the opportunity to step back from the sometimes frantic pace of regular routines that we're actually able to recognize the people who are part of our lives and how they impact the work we do, the lives we live and the people we are ... and if we're really blessed, we find occasions and means to express our gratitude.