Do you ever have someone in your life that, no matter how well you do or don’t know them, they are a fixture in your day?
I sure do, or more correctly, did.
He was a crossing guard. His name is Frank, and I only know that because I saw a picture of him in the newsapaper last 4th of July at a holiday event in town. He was playing a bugle.
But for the last 3 years, every day that I went to work, I would see him on the corner of the street my ‘little kids’ live on. And every morning, and every afternoon, as he grinned and waved to me, I grinned and waved back. Rain, snow, bitter cold, my crossing guard was there, grinning at me and lighting up my day, lighting up my heart. Many days, I’d roll down my window and we’d chat. He’d fuss over my puppy, say hi to my boys if I had them with me, chat about the weather, my boys football games. But no matter what he said, my heart heard love. How absurd it sounds to me to write the words that I loved this almost stranger. And that he loved me. But that’s how it feels. A man that brightened my day, made me feel special, made me feel seen, despite being in a minivan full of kids, dogs, stuff. Despite the ‘stuff’ that might be going on in my head, I knew I would get a huge smile and wave. And even, if only for a minute, my heart would soar. Because I was seen. In the middle of my day, my routine, my stuff, I was seen.
And I wasnt just noticed, I was seen, appreciated, worthy, important.
And now I realize that my crossing guard is a whole lot like Jesus. In the middle of my day, my routine, my chaos and crazy, surrounded by kids, dogs, stuff….He sees me. And He loves me. Just because I’m there, just because I’m me. Do I have a relationship with Him because I have placed my faith in Him and asked Him to be my Savior? Of course. But at it’s simplest, most basic…He loves me because I’m here, because I’m me. And that makes my heart soar. Because sometimes, I feel like I’m not seen. Like those closest to me don’t really see me in the midst of all the crazy and all the chaos. But Jesus does. And He loves me, in spite of it all.
Maybe it’s really Jesus standing at that corner, stop sign in hand, orange safety vest and baseball cap on, grinning at me and waving. Saying, “I see you. I love you. You matter.”
And that’s more than enough.
Dear Lord, thank you for my crossing guard. Thank you for placing someone in my life to brighten my days and make me feel loved. I am in awe that such a simple gesture can stir emotions in my heart that I didn’t realize were there.
Please guide and strengthen me to be a crossing guard in other people’s lives. Not just the people who might be ‘driving by’ in my life, but those you have placed closest. The ones that in the crazy and the chaos it can, sadly, be most difficult for me to press pause and truly see. My boys, my husband, my friends. The ones I’m so familiar with, the ones that know I love them, no matter what. They matter too. They are my most important. Please help me to take the time to put up my stop sign, stop the traffic in my head and heart, and just grin and wave. And really see them.
And then this school year started. But my crossing guard didn’t. He’s gone. And he took a piece of my heart with me.
I LOVE this. I love our devoted Crossing Guards too. 😉 I love the way you wrote this. I love finding Jesus everywhere in our lives and how He uses events, objects, and especially people, like the crossing guard, to teach about who He really is and how He interacts with us in our lives. Thanks for sharing!
Blessings-
Christine
Thank you so much Christine!! Your kind words are such an encouragement!!