InnBloom
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- Sep 3, 2010
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I took a reservation this evening from a woman who had called a couple of times talking about booking a weekend January 20-21 with a girlfriend, but she wasn't sure which room. Wasn't sure the girlfriend would actually be coming. Didn't want to wait too long to get a good room. Etc. Etc.
When she called this evening, I was irked that DH gave me the phone as I was trying to get out the door to a Christmas celebration at Mom's assisted living facility, rather than taking the call himself. I was frazzled, late, annoyed--- and I felt it took a lot of inner strength to be friendly, and charmingly professional, on the phone. Turns out the girlfriend hadn't committed yet to meet her, so she just booked the room she liked.
I was blindsided a bit later at the Christmas celebration to find out that I was suddenly very emotional about missing my dad, who died in April. As we listened to a woman sing, I was suddenly in tears. As she moved into "I count my blessings" from White Christmas, I dried my eyes and checked the email on my phone to "cover"....and this is the first part of the email I read from that woman:
Hi "InnBloom": It was a pleasure speaking with you this afternoon and I am so looking forward to meeting you and your husband!! (Your inn) looks and sounds like just what I need. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will be starting chemotherapy this Thursday )-: I was told that by my birthday, which is January 21st, that I'll be bald; I'm simply praying that I will not be sick. I'm looking forward to bringing a good book and sitting by the fireplace just relaxing....
That sure didn't help stifle the waterworks.
So maybe later -- not now -- I'll ask you all for advice about how to make a nice weekend for a sick guest. Or maybe I'll vent about the lady who cancelled at the last minute because she was too sick to come. But for now, I just thought I'd pass along the idea of counting our blessings, and realizing that we really do represent a refuge in a storm for some of our guests.
And finally, I'll pass along the 'signature message' on her email. I don't consider myself a religious woman, but I loved this and hope you don't mind my sharing it:
To some, the Lord would say, there is an ember of coal burning within your heart. It is only an ember, a little brightness. But, I say unto you stir up, stir up those coals and let the fire burn. Stir up. Call upon the wind of God to blow on that small ember that is within you and bring it to a flame; bring the fire to a fullness.
When she called this evening, I was irked that DH gave me the phone as I was trying to get out the door to a Christmas celebration at Mom's assisted living facility, rather than taking the call himself. I was frazzled, late, annoyed--- and I felt it took a lot of inner strength to be friendly, and charmingly professional, on the phone. Turns out the girlfriend hadn't committed yet to meet her, so she just booked the room she liked.
I was blindsided a bit later at the Christmas celebration to find out that I was suddenly very emotional about missing my dad, who died in April. As we listened to a woman sing, I was suddenly in tears. As she moved into "I count my blessings" from White Christmas, I dried my eyes and checked the email on my phone to "cover"....and this is the first part of the email I read from that woman:
Hi "InnBloom": It was a pleasure speaking with you this afternoon and I am so looking forward to meeting you and your husband!! (Your inn) looks and sounds like just what I need. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and will be starting chemotherapy this Thursday )-: I was told that by my birthday, which is January 21st, that I'll be bald; I'm simply praying that I will not be sick. I'm looking forward to bringing a good book and sitting by the fireplace just relaxing....
That sure didn't help stifle the waterworks.
So maybe later -- not now -- I'll ask you all for advice about how to make a nice weekend for a sick guest. Or maybe I'll vent about the lady who cancelled at the last minute because she was too sick to come. But for now, I just thought I'd pass along the idea of counting our blessings, and realizing that we really do represent a refuge in a storm for some of our guests.
And finally, I'll pass along the 'signature message' on her email. I don't consider myself a religious woman, but I loved this and hope you don't mind my sharing it:
To some, the Lord would say, there is an ember of coal burning within your heart. It is only an ember, a little brightness. But, I say unto you stir up, stir up those coals and let the fire burn. Stir up. Call upon the wind of God to blow on that small ember that is within you and bring it to a flame; bring the fire to a fullness.