UNWIND

after i finished studying last night i decided to watch some short documentaries. i came across this one and fell in love with it. i've always loved the small-town atmosphere (though, i have to admit, i don't think i'd be content staying in a small town. i need to be involved, i need to make a difference and leave a mark.) i especially love old people. by now you're all probably sick of hearing me talk about Apple this, Apple that- well, hang in there for one more time. right when i started last year it hit me that hundreds (if not thousands) of people would walk through our store every single day. they were coming not only to buy things and see the latest and greatest, but to talk to real people about how technology could enable them to do more, share more, and be more. i got to spend all day talking with people and solving problems. right off the bat i decided that my goal in working there would be this:

meet one new person a day and do everything in my power to help them.

i adopted that as personal mission statement. i knew that every single day at least one person would come to me and in that moment i could decide to shrug them off and be impersonal, do the bare minimum and send them on their way- or i could connect with them, form a relationship, get to know their goals and teach them everything i know to make them more successful so that when i gave them a fond farewell as i walked them to their car, i would know that i would see them again because they would be back. and when they came back, they would request me by name and i could smile back and greet them with their name and ask them how life has been, and we would laugh and be happy to see each other again.

that's what i learned at Apple. i learned how to be caring person. i learned to love people. i learned that we only have a short time with some of the people we meet and we have to do everything we can to make sure that the time we're given is well spent with laughter and smiles. but i also learned that we can have all the time in the world with other people. we can have as long as we want. i met couple after couple after couple who had been together for decades. whenever i had the chance to teach an older couple, i would put everything aside, clean up my schedule and let my floor leaders know that i was going to be a while as i would be spending the rest of the night teaching Dee and Delma Darling (they were my absolute favorites.) they were the sweetest couple. they were so old but so young. they wanted me to set up facebook profiles for them so they could 'look hip for their younger grandchildren'. we would laugh and share stories all afternoon, sometimes until after the store had closed. we would make movies together and upload old family photos. i even helped put together a slide show of their life together that they would be showing at their sixtieth! wedding anniversary with their family. i miss them so much. i would drop everything to spend another afternoon with them. they were so in love. one day.

i just felt like i should share that. this video reminded me of the good times that come when spent with the elderly. i've had a lot on my mind as of late. the best way to unwind is to share and remember. cherish the people around you. don't waste any time. every second spent with someone you care about is worth everything.