With a plate of food and a glass of wine, he joined others from the
company at the table. All around colleagues and friends were mingling at the
Thanksgiving dinner. There was a festive air. Amidst the merriment, he noticed
their boss looking around, his hands empty, his face concerned for their
wellbeing. Caring, he called out to his superior, “Aren’t you going to have
something to eat.” Looking straight at him, his boss snapped back, “What are
you trying to say? That I’ve not been eating all week?!” He stomped off in a
huff. His outburst surprised the VP of Human Resources who felt misunderstood. All the places were now taken saved one, directly opposite him. Plate in
hand, his boss sat there. Still nursing his hurt, the VP wanted to ignore him.
But each time he looked up, there was his boss chewing his pork roast in fruit compote. He decided to
consider the man: what he saw was someone under stress; what he remembered was
his kindness, particularly, the kindness of one forgiving him his erroneous mistakes
as he began in the company. If not for such forgiveness, he would never have survived those times, risen to his present office and enjoyed the goodness of life. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the VP decided to reach out to his boss. He smiled a hello.
from my journeys with God's people
photo: inside 84, beacon street by adsj (boston, october 2010)
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