by Doug Bair

On my exercise walk today I passed a young lady sitting on a bench by the lake creating beadwork. I walked by, but then it occurred to me that perhaps she was selling her wares. So I went back, and indeed she was. She has not been able to find seasonal work up here, though she has sent out many applications. Businesses are cutting back - not hiring. She is another casualty of the COVID-19 unemployment pandemic.

So she decided to use her beadwork talent to support herself on the bike path. (This reminds me of the “feed the birds” scene in “Mary Poppins.”) I gave her $20 for a nice piece of her work that I thought would make an excellent bookmark and congratulated her on her ingenuity. I told her I was happy to support somebody who was using her creativity and time and talent to make her life work.

As I walked away she thanked me for “the kind words.” I stopped and looked back. We gave each other a friendly hug with our eyes, and I wished her well and went on my way. Every time I open my book using my new bookmark I will think of the wonderful young lady--and smile.