Recently, I was reading part two of an article that I appreciated by Bob Burg titled, To Have A Body. In it, he discusses how too often as humans we judge others by their appearance, like judging a book by its cover. Bob’s article brought back a memory I would like to share with you.
First, a little bit about where I was and what I was doing at that point in my life.
I was feeling great and probably a little too smug. It was 1990 and I had just won the national Strategic Account Executive of the Year award for Toshiba. My career was in overdrive and everything was going my way. The local university had asked if I would take part in a technology show by setting up a booth to display the latest laptop computers and talk about the future of the industry. At the time, Toshiba had the most innovative products on the market and had the lion’s share of that marketplace.
For many reasons, I was delighted and excited to take part in the technology show. I was passionate about the technology and loved to talk about it. Now I was going to be able to do so at a university venue to academics many of whom were from the various science faculties. I love science! What could be better?
We set up a beautiful booth and displayed our best products. On the first day, the booth quickly filled with professors and students all wanting to talk about their various projects and discuss how our technology could help them further their research. I was fascinated and enjoying every moment. It was about noon, and there were many waiting to speak with me. Just then, a woman in a wheelchair rolled into the booth. She was a quadriplegic. She had a tube close to her mouth that she would blow into to move and steer her motorized wheelchair. She also had a whiteboard on her lap that she could write on using a long erasable marker, again using her mouth to do so. As well, she had a bib of sorts, as she would salivate quite a bit whilst using her mouth to write or drive her wheelchair.
She wanted some information. I felt very awkward as I approached her. She had written a note that was difficult to read. The note asked if I could give her some information about a particular laptop computer. What, I wondered, would she do with a laptop computer? I grabbed a brochure and placed it in a basket she had on the wheelchair. She wrote another question on her board. The communication between us was slow and very difficult to understand. I was aware of the others waiting in the booth and I was anxious to get back to them. When I had answered her, she grunted a thank you, smiled as best she could and slowly left the booth. I could tell she wanted to ask more questions…
As she rolled out of the booth, I engaged a professor who was studying quasars. Wow! Astronomy, my favorite science. I was elated… for about one minute. I could not get the woman in the wheelchair out of my mind and began to feel awful for not having spent more time with her. She deserved every bit as much of my attention as anyone else. I felt I had let her down because I was unwilling to spend the time with her. In a way, I had judged her. I had made a decision to spend as little time as possible with her so I could get back to those that were easier to communicate with mostly because I was interested in what they had to say. Though I was polite, I never gave her the courtesy of showing her the same level of interest.
The next day, the booth was packed. Around mid-morning, the woman in the wheelchair returned. When I saw her, I respectfully broke off from the conversation I was having with a physicist. I walked over to her and said hello. On her lap was a neatly typed note with several questions. With an awkward tilt of her head, she motioned to the note so I picked it up and read it. After I had answered each question, she again grunted a thank you and motioned that she was going to leave. I stopped her and asked her what she was researching. She began to write on her board. This was going to take a while. I grabbed a chair and sat next to her so we could communicate more easily and gave her 100% of my attention. 
She was doing some very interesting research! She also had a tremendous sense of humor and not one ounce of self-pity. I asked her how she had managed to type the note that she had brought with her and she explained that she had an interface that allowed her to use the blow tube to type by blowing in patterns similar to Morse code. She wanted to incorporate a laptop and a small printer into her chair so she could type messages wherever she went.
We spoke for about an hour. By the end, the communication was getting much easier. During that time, I had wiped her chin for her a few times with Kleenex that she kept in her basket. She finally told me that I really needed to get back to the others who had been waiting patiently. Sighing, I agreed and gave her all of my contact information and invited her to contact me anytime at all. I told her I would be happy to drive out to the university so I could answer her questions and carry on our conversation. Alas, we never saw each other again.
The one hour I spent with her ranks as one of the most humbling and beautiful hours I have ever spent with another human being. Trapped inside her broken body was a beautiful mind and a wonderfully creative imagination. Despite her appearance, she was as graceful as any human I have ever met. Though I am sure she didn’t know it, she brought me back down to ground and taught me lessons I will never forget.
As we move through our lives, we meet people that we sometimes judge too quickly. I believe some of these people are angels sent to teach us valuable lessons. The woman in the wheelchair certainly was, and if she happens to read this, I have these words for her.
From the depth of my heart … thank you!
Photo Credits
Angel © chrisholtphotos
Quasar © NASA – Public Domain
Toshiba T1200XE © unknown
© Gil Namur, 2009
Gil,
While I appreciate your referring to my blog post, the reason I’m writing is to congratulate you on the amazing story you just wrote. I hope a million people see it and are as emotionally struck by it as I was. Thank you.
I’d say you both were ultimate Go-Givers via that exchange, both giving as much in value to the other as possible and – as a result – both of you reaping rewards far and above what you gave.
Bob
Hi Bob,
Always a pleasure to see your comments and your smiling face here! I very much appreciate what you are doing and the spirit with which you are doing it.
Thanks so much for your kind words. It was a humbling experience for me and one that I had meant to write about but had forgotten to until I read and commented on your article.
I hope you have a terrific weekend Bob!
Cheers,
Gil
Hi Gil, Via Bob Burg’s Blog, I just read your “Humbled By An Angel Piece”, and what can I say? I was so touched, it brought me to tears. Thank you for sharing that. It was a humbling experience for me to read it. Best, Kirsty
Hi Kirsty,
Thank you for reading and for sharing your heart.
I hope you have a great weekend .. one that is filled with laughter!
Cheers,
Gil
Beautiful story Gil. Thank you for sharing it!
Eric
Thanks Eric :- )
Have a great weekend.
Cheers,
Gil
“Humbled by an angel” is a wonderful story. How amazing that you got a welcome second chance to meet a remarkable person. By publishing the story of your meeting, you may inspire each of us to take the time for another human being. A butterfly flaps its wings…
Thank you Kerry!
I have always felt very blessed for that second chance!
Hope all is well for you!
Cheers
Gil
I have been inspired by Bob Burg for several years. To read your story “Humbled by an Angel” is so truly inspirational. At least you had a second chance to make up for what bothered you in your first meeting with the lady. Most of us don’t get a second chance to make it right with the person. So why not we try not to judge the book by the cover and give it all we’ve got in the first try?
A HUGE thank you to Bob Burg for his post at the Go-Giver blog!
http://www.thegogiver.com/blog/2009/09/06/humbled-by-an-angel/
I very much appreciate that you did this and I encourage synaptici readers to check your other blog as well: http://www.burg.com/blog/
Have a fantastic week Bob!
Cheers,
Gil
Hello Sham,
Thank you for your comment and kind words.
It would be wonderful if we could all get it right the first time! Hopefully, as we grow, that is our ultimate aim. That said, we are after all human and we will all make mistakes. The thing is, mistakes are not what define us. What we learn from them and how we deal with them are what define us. They hold the seeds to our growth and personal/spiritual development.
Thanks again Sham! I hope your week is filled with joy!
Cheers,
Gil
My darling brother,
Thank you for writing this story! In doing so you are sharing a priceless gift with thousands who will be inspired and grow and will in turn touch others.
You are a constant source of inspiration! I am so glad you are my brother!
Love always,
Michele
Hi sis!
So nice to see you here :- )
Thank you! We had great coaching didn’t we! And you my sister have always been a shining example to follow! Carol too!
I love you love you love you!
Bro Gil
xoxo
Gil,
This was just sent to me and it is beautiful. You write about it as if it just happened today. I believe that each of you were a blessing to the other. Great message, send more along the way.
Gil,
Thank you for sharing this story. It was just sent to me from a facebook friend. You wrote as if it had just happend even though it was almost 20 years ago. I can’t help but feel that you were each a blessing to the other.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
Thanks for your notes! I appreciate your encouraging words. We were indeed blessed!
Cheers,
Gil
Gil, so true…. You never know who is on the inside (under the cloak of skin/clothes and other paraphenalia),
Thanks for sharing,
Janni
Hi Janice,
Thanks for popping in! Hope all is well for you on the prairies!
Have a great week.
Gileeeeeee
Gil
What a great message. We sometimes are so preoccupied with our accomplishments that we forget to stop and smell the roses. Thank you for a refreshing message to keep us grounded.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thank YOU for taking the time to leave your encouraging comment.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Gil
Hi Gil,
I think I should be angry with you for making me cry. That too at office, in office hours.
Sometimes some people we meet on the road, Un-expected, Un-planned and of course with out appointment, they change us for ever. The experience you narrate here are very thought provoking and touching. You are blessed to have these. All the best for a rich life and many more enriching experience.
Lavender
Hi Lavender,
Thank you for your note and your kind wishes. I hope that they were tears of joy and that you were not embarrassed at your place of work!
I hope you have a great weekend and that you too will have a rich life filled with joy and laughter!
Cheers,
Gil
Hi Gil..
thanks a lot for sharing this with us.. you brought me back to ground, warm and peaceful..
best regards
aan
Hi Aan,
Thank for taking the time to send me a comment 🙂
All the best!
Gil
Bravo! Thanks for sending the link.
Thanks Lisa!