Last week I had a meeting on Thursday at 1230p. I was meeting a videographer and my PR consultant to film a much needed segment for an already existing promo piece for the Thoughtful Pinch app. I chose the date of this meeting and they chose 1230p as the time and a particular Target as the location. I found this one event remarkable enough to write about it for the blog.

Even though I chose the date for this meeting, the time and location was not confirmed until the day before. And typical me, since I didn’t know the rest of the details I didn’t put it on my calendar. So when the interior designers asked if my seat cushion could get delivered on this same date, I replied, “Sure!” My stand-in 830-930am “Walk/Talk” with my friend Reena was the only event I saw on my calendar on that date. The block of time for the cushion delivery would be between 10a-2p. I quickly input that block of time on the calendar. Later, I received another text from the interior designers asking if it was possible to re-hang the pictures onto the gallery wall at 130p on the same day. I replied, “Sure!”. {The back story is that this gallery wall wasn’t as easy as it should’ve been. We had some dry wall issues and when we fixed it, it caused an electrical issue. Then the wall sconces were put in but the shape of back of the sconces was rectangular and the electrical holes were round so more dry wall work was needed. After the drywall was installed to cover the gaps, the sconces were not secure and so more drywall repair was needed. Finally, it all needed to be repainted. I felt so bad for the designers that whenever anything for this wall needed to get done, I accommodated the timing. }

So when Tim, my PR consultant, texted to say that the meeting with the videographer was set on Thursday at 1230p at Target, I sort of winced. Even though asking my designers if we could move the gallery wall appointment was the last thing I wanted to do, it was the first thing I tried to move. When they explained that the next available time would be two weeks later, I decided not to change it. My hub and my son would be around to let the cushion guys in and I didn’t have to do anything for hanging the pictures on the gallery wall. I informed the designers to keep the appointment and they could let themselves in. At this point, I felt pretty good about my Thursday. In fact, I even offered to create picture place holders for all the pictures that were getting famed and would not be available for the gallery wall. I felt confident in my schedule because I would have time after my walk and before the video shoot to do this. It was important to have picture placeholders because it would make it easier for the designers to re-hang the pictures in the exact spots; helping them to get the job done better and faster. In full transparency, another reason I offered to make these placeholders is because it benefits me. I would much rather display paper placeholders than to have to explain why there are weird blank spots throughout the gallery wall.

On the day of the videography meeting I was focused on what needed to get done. The Walk/Talk with Reena was wonderful. My friendship bucket was full and the dogs were pooped; mission accomplished. The seat cushion was delivered right at 10am which, to me, was perfect because I didn’t have to get the hub or my son involved since I was home. Hurray! The only two things I needed to do before I left at noon for the videography meeting was: 1. make the picture placeholders and 2. get ready for the video shoot. {The back story is I have been very good about showering and getting ready for the day first thing in the morning instead of just diving straight into working on whatever needs to get done. It doesn’t always happen but I’ve made it a priority because I was getting sick of looking like I just worked out all day long.} On this given day, I was dressed and ready to go by 1050am. Now I only had one more thing to do before leaving the house at 12p. I sat down to measure and cut the picture placeholders. At 11am, the phone rang and the caller ID informed me that it was my hub’s aunt. {The back story is that I have been caring for his aunt ever since an incident happened in April ‘22. My hub’s aunt is 80 years old, has Multiple Sclerosis and lives near us in a nursing home.} So I answered the phone - she said that she wasn’t feeling well and had been in bed in pain since 7am. I listened; expecting her to say that she needed me. It turns out, she only wanted me to check to see if her cousin had her boots and shoes at his house. No problem - I would ask. I hung up the phone and looked at the clock - it was 1130am.

I went back to measuring and cutting the paper for these picture placeholders. I heard my front door open. It wasn’t my son or my hub so I called out, “Who’s there?” A soft voice called out, “Ms. Barbie, it’s Maria.” I dropped my scissors and ran to hug Maria. {The back story is that three weeks ago, Maria told me how excited she was because her mom would be in Denver visiting from Chihuahua, Mexico for a week. I told Maria to spend time with her mom and not to come help me clean the house during the visit. She was very appreciative and had such a nice time with her parents. Maria’s mom got back to Mexico and died on July 20th. Maria insisted on coming over to clean because if she cleaned, she could send the money to Mexico for the funeral. I told her to come for the money but not to clean.} As I was talking to Maria, I could tell that she was in shock. I was glad that I was there when she stopped by because I was able to hug her and console her as best as I could. My heart was broken, Maria wasn’t able to go to Mexico to say goodbye.

After Maria left, I looked at the clock. By now it was 1155am and I still hadn’t finished the only thing I had to do before the video shoot. I just concentrated and got all the paper picture placeholders done. I left the house like a crazy person but by now my “extra” time was gone and my GPS indicated that my arrival time at Target would be 1230p. As I was pulling into a parking space, I saw Tim outside of Target waiting and it distracted me from doing a good job parking. In order to straighten out the car, I needed to back out of the space and of course there was a car directly behind me with the driver backing out of his space very slowly. I eyed the clock - it was 1232pm. Ugh! Once I completed the parking job, I ran around to the passenger’s side to grab the props for the shoot. Of course that was the exact moment that the driver of the car next to me arrived at his car door. He opened his door which made it impossible for me to open my passenger door and it took him a minute or two because he was trying to put his stuff into the car before shutting his car door. I looked at my phone - 1235p.

I made it to Tim and the videographer at 1237pm and we began the shoot. What I found remarkable about this story is that none of these incidents prior to the 1230p appointment were insignificant. They were all important and they all mattered. No matter how small - the guy backing his car out very cautiously in the Target parking lot or how big - Maria losing her mother 2 weeks after seeing her. Was there anything I could do to be less stressed out for the video shoot? I don’t believe so. Maybe some would say I should have moved the designer appointment but at that point, who would have known that I’d get a phone call or have an unexpected visitor ?

This is going to sound super corny but I think I was being sent a thoughtful pinch from God. I think it was his way of saying it’s ok not to be in control. I subtly mention this theory a lot in my posts and when I make my daily videos. I’m always observing that my days don’t go as I planned and I share that I laugh at God’s sense of humor whenever I’m in a hurry and things get in the way to slow me down. A few weeks ago I had written a post entitled Church and the last line said, “…we can pinch the higher power too.” Now I’m saying that God pinched me. What I’m doing is humanizing the relationship that I have with God. That may make people squirm. But put in another context: I’m living in the moment which I’d love to say that I have full control of but I am aware that I don’t. The difference is I am feeling the significance of the events that led up to the 1230p appointment. In these significant moments, I was given opportunities to experience humanity and grace. That is a gift.

Pinches,

Barb