Not Just a Little Violet

First to address old business: Thanks to those that offered their input on last weeks blog. 100% of the three persons taking part said they would go to the hairdresser that charged $12.50 for a haircut and one of you guessed that I chose the same option. And I did. When I found the shop, it had a dual entryway – turn right and you entered the tattoo shop, turn left and you entered Eddie’s Hair Country. I was a bit nervous.  Although quite roomy, the business reminded me more of a barber shop than a salon – a place men probably wouldn’t mind coming to for a cheap haircut, but I wasn’t thinking I would recommend it to my girlfriends that frequented the $30.00 salons.  I hoped Eddie cleaned his tools between clients.  The first surprise I encountered was that the “lady with the raspy voice” was a man. Makes sense I suppose with a name like Eddie. I liked Eddie. I imagine he was close to 70 years old. When I asked, he filled me in on his hairdressing history. He  did hair in California for forty years and then moved back to the Black Hills where he grew up. His grandfather, a hairdresser as well,  was influential in encouraging Eddie to go into the same line of work. When I found out one of his grandfather’s clients was Elizabeth Taylor, I relaxed a bit. While Eddie clipped and cut, he threw out words like weight line, dry cut versa wet cut, wedge styles, etc. I began to think Eddie knew what he was talking about. To make a long story short – several $30.00 salon friends complimented me on my cute haircut. That takes care of it for me – I’ll be seeing more of Eddie.

Onto new business: This week I read a story I’d like to share. I have no idea who wrote it but it goes like this: A king went to his garden one morning only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruit as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.

Everything in the garden was troubled until the king came upon a violet. The violet was bright and happy. The king said, “Violet, I’m glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of all this discouragement. You don’t seem to be the least disheartened.”

“No, I’m not,” said the violet. “I know I’m small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted a violet, I’m determined to be the best little violet I can be.”

I liked this story because it says to me that some of us are oaks, some are pines, some are grapevines, some peaches, some geraniums, and some violets. But we can all make our mark in the world. Each one of us is special and designed for a purpose. Not one of us was created without a purpose. The violets of the world can make a difference in someone’s life, just as this violet did in the king’s life. This week let’s be a violet – determined to fulfill our purpose and to be comfortable in our own skin doing it.

Until next week, may God’s peace be with you.