Funny how the mind works.
So my phone rings at 9:52 last night, late even for west coast clients. A glance tells me it is not a call from one of the kids, or from anyone else in my address book as my phone doesn’t recognize the number. All that data suggests that I let it ring. But it is a local number, and my phone does not give me the “Telemarketer” or “Spam Call” indicator that someone is wanting to sell me something, convince me to vote for someone, or take a survey. And who would call this late anyway unless they needed to reach me. Still, three rings and three seconds into it, the decision is made – do not answer. If it is a legitimate call for me I’ll get a message, and if it is a wrong number, she’ll hang up.
I say “she” because my phone tells me there is a message, and on checking it the caller was, by quality and character of voice, as well as content, an elderly woman. She leaves this message:
“I’m sorry. I was calling my grandson and I dialed the wrong number. Thank you.”
So all is right in the world. No calamity I need to address, no troubled soul for me to listen to, no child of mine broke down on the side of the road, or worse. But as I go to erase any evidence that the call or message ever came, my mind engages further. Who listens to a phone message, and knowing they made a mistake, instead of hanging up quickly, leaves a message expressing regret and seeking forgiveness for dialing a wrong number? Well, SHE does. The word that pops into my mind, though it is not quite the right word, is “kindness.” Then my mind engages further. “All is right in MY world. I, me, mine. Funny how the mind works. It then occurs to me – why was SHE making a call so late? Is everything okay in HER world? HER GRANDSON’S? I mean, she didn’t sound panicked or particularly troubled in message, but why was she calling so late?
Though I have the phone number that could provide the answer to these questions, that would be a weird call, even creepy. Still, I purposefully say a prayer of thanksgiving for well-being, for enlightenment, and for her and her grandson.
Funny how the mind works.
It occurs to me... 