Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Celebrate Differences

I spend 6 hours at the Apple store in the mall one day. The first hour isn't too bad because I have a One to One session before the store opens. However, I also have a Genius Bar appointment to deal with some problems I'm having with my computer. The store gets crazy-busy as soon as it's officially open for business. The decibel level of people talking around and above each other is deafening. I'm uncomfortable with so much noise and turmoil. However, I sit quietly on one of the high black stools awaiting my turn. I breathe and try to relax. I start watching the "geniuses" who are dealing with other customers. One is a young girl with spiky hair, long shaggy bangs dyed neon pink, bright red lipstick, purple glasses with square frames, and a glinting silver hoop in the right corner of her bottom lip. I see how she listens intently to the older woman she's helping. I see her smile encouragingly. I note that she's completely engaged in what she's doing and totally unselfconscious. I begin to think she's lovely - an exotic specimen from another planet. I am intensely pleased when finally she finishes with the other customer and calls my name, beckoning me toward her. Then a wondrous thing: She introduces herself and her name is the same as my grown daughter who was once (and possible still is in her heart) a rebel child. I am immediately in love with this geekily-odd young woman and feel an intimate connection with her - I believe I'm in good hands. She is meticulous and organized in handling my problem. She takes my computer into the inner bowels of the store where in a few hours it is miraculously restored (free of charge) to working order. When I come back to retrieve the computer, I thank her profusely. She gives me a vivid smile, her piercing sparkling in the overhead light.
I think to myself: "Vive la difference!"
Please let me remember this encounter the next time I'm not sure I "like" another person's appearance. 

It's who we are inside that counts.

23 comments:

  1. oh, i love this post! amen to that! :)

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  2. Love this! Beautifully written . (And on a mundane level, I wish for my husband similar luck and understanding as he needs to take our computer to one of those genius stores soon for an overhaul because we are having issues he can't fix.)

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  3. Wonderful story Bar. Seems like Apple stores may be the same world over. My husband had time at one while in the city earlier this year, your description matches his of the time spent there. Must be great to have your computer running properly again too.

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  4. A wonderful lesson in not judging by looks. Glad your computer is better.

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  5. Does Apple offer lifetime warranty? I remember this should be a year old already. When my laptop almost died a few months ago, I was thinking of getting a Mac. Hmmm, not yet ready.

    I could visualize her, you gave good description!

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    1. My warranty is up but it was a software and Cloud problem which they handled. I "love" the Genius Bar since unlike you, there are no computer geniuses living with me!

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  6. Hi,Barb.
    Lovely story!I have no English words to express my feeling of the story,butI so agree with Gaelyn.
    Your carp is beautiful! I think I do love to be graceful myself like those carp.

    Cherry blossoms are being at peak this week here in Nara! I am walking around,seeing cherry blossoms every day with my camera this week!!

    Thank you,Barb.See you soon!
    Tomoko

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  7. Wonderful post! I wish we all lived and celebrated this every day.

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  8. I always try to be a live and let live type of person. :)

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  9. You can not judge someone by his/her appearence, just like this poor fish.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  10. You wrote that so poignantly Barb and I agree with you. We must remember no matter what someone looks like, it's what's inside that matters. Carol

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  11. What a nice post. I didn't realize that your laptop was down. Have you been iPading us?

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    1. Hi Sandy, Just had a problem installing Lion and syncing to the Cloud. Seems fixed now.

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  12. I love this story, and I must admit to you, you are a very humble person to have said that. It is just so......human to judge a book by it's cover, because I sometimes pick up a book thinking it is going to be so good, then read the inside cover and find it to be NOT to my liking! It is a little different now with a Kindel! lol

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  13. What a wonderful life lesson reminder here. 'Tis so true that the assumptions on outside appearances does not reveal the inner-man. I fear we'd all be in trouble if God looked at the outside. I'm so thankful he doesn't.

    God bless ya sweetie and thank you for this beautiful post today!!! :o)

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  14. Wonderful story and lesson and I love the fish too!

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  15. I wish we had a genius bar....Or just someone to tell me what kind of laptop I should get! This post was a perfect reminder... a perfect reminder. xo teri

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  16. Great lesson in life Barb. And I couldn't help thinking what a writer's eye you have - she would made a great character in a story or novel!

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  17. This is so precious. You took the time to breathe and become present, and it made all the difference. The best thing we can remember. P.S. I just commented on your other blog and it disappeared. If it doesn't ever show up, let me know and I can re-write.

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  18. So true - sometimes we jump to conclusions when we really need to take the time to see beneath the surface.

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  19. So very true Barb. I wish we had a store like that. I need some work done on my screen and I' really afraid to take it in to the local computer shop. I'm just afraid they are going to tell me it would be too expensive to fix! In any case I have to do it soon!
    Love Di ♥

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  20. What a perfect post for me to read this morning! I am far behind, but I needed to read this one, right now! Ironically, I was just telling my husband that I need to make an appointment at the Genius bar, as my mac is running a little sluggishly and I have many concerns that I can't figure out on my own. But, I'm with you, I really hate going there! It's so noisy and full of unique (geeky sort of!) individuals, many of whom work there! But, I also want to purchase an ipad, for my trip, and I want to talk with a real person about how to use it. (I ordered my mac online and then ended up going to the store twice!)

    But, thank you for showing how we need to see deeply into the eyes of those we meet, not stopping at the surface!

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Your comments are always one good thing for me!