What do you do when you’re standing in line?
Read your email?
Scroll through social media?
Complain?
All of the above?
Several years ago, someone challenged me to use the time differently.
“You should talk to people when you’re standing in line. Why not be friendly?”
She was right.
What kept me from talking to others while standing in line?
My mother always talked to people while we stood in line at the grocery store.
I’d squirm as she discussed some personal issue I didn’t think was appropriate. (Even as an eight-year-old).
It only got worse when I towered in height over her during my teenage years.
Other women in my life would chat up anyone–and often tell personal details no one wanted to hear about. (Especially me!).
Standing in line at UCLA once to sell back books, No one spoke to anyone. We all stared resolutely ahead, not making eye contact.
(Other than me. I read The Autobiography of Malcom X–a book my roommate asked me to sell.)
What changed?
In 2017, my community went through devastating wildfires.
5000 homes burned, including the homes of many friends.
In our shell-shocked community, everyone wanted to talk about their experiences.
I started asking folks while standing in line at the grocery store, “How are you doing?”
The stories fell out, sometimes with tears. People needed to air their grief.
The same thing happened in 2020. (Wearing masks), we’d stand far apart but talk about COVID experiences and, alas, yet another horrible fire.
“How are you doing?”
People would tell me.
Standing in line at the Post Office.
Two years ago, the Christmas package mailing line stretched 30 people long. I pulled out my phone to read my book (Not The Autobiography of Malcom X, this time, but interesting enough to keep me occupied!)
But then I noticed the woman beside me was sending her package to Switzerland.
I asked to what town (I have relatives in Switzerland).
It turned out the woman behind me also was sending a package to Switzerland.
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash
They didn’t know each other, but their packages were both destined to the same small town in the Alps!
We laughed and talked about Switzerland all the way to the counter.
Delightful.
This week at the Post Office
“Why do they only have one agent at noon?” the woman behind me asked.
“I know,” I said. “I wouldn’t wait except I can’t get back here for another week. I’m only in the shopping area because I had to buy a baby present who already has outgrown newborn clothes.”
She asked me about my kids, then told me about her grandchildren.
We were off.
We stood in line together for 25 minutes. After awhile, her voice lowered slightly. “My oldest son is bi-polar.”
“I’m so sorry,” I replied. (What else do you say?). “You know, I read a book a number of years ago called The Unquiet Mind by Kay Jamison.”
Her face lit up, “Yes!”
And we discussed what it meant to live with someone who is bipolar. (I had a friend with lots of poigrnant stories.)
By the time we reached the counter, the woman in front of me turned and said. “Thank you. My 18-year-old son was just diagnosed bi-polar. You’ve given me things to think about.”
Who could have guessed that?”
What difference did it make?
When I finally got to the counter, the clerk thanked me.
“For what?”
“Do you hear what’s happening? Everyone is talking in line. Mostly on a day like this, they stand around glaring at me with their arms crossed. That’s not happening today.”
I glanced around and laughed.
Somehow, everyone standing in line was having an animated conversation.
“Thank you, Lord,” I whispered when I pushed through the glass doors to the parking lot.
I, myself, felt lighter and happier–despite a long time spent standing in line.
Try it yourself. Who knows how striking up a conversation rather than staring at a smart phone (or even reading a book), will cheer up an entire room.
I guess standing in line really can be a ministry!
Tweetables
How can standing in line at the post office be a ministry? Click to Tweet
Reasons to talk to strangers while standing in line. Click to Tweet
Great post! Loved it.
To my surprise, this morning my husband had a story:
He stood in a line at the post office yesterday to mail a copy of Overflowing Faith to a prospective interviewer.
“Hey,” he called after noticing six silent women standing in front of him. “This sign here says you’re supposed to be chatting while you wait.”
They laughed–and began talking to each other. He turned and told a personal (true) great white shark story to the 8-year-old who had just joined the line behind him with his parents.
When he reached the post office clerk, she, too, was laughing.
It was the same woman who took my packages last week.
We’re having too much fun with this!
I love this, Michelle. I often get into conversations in lines and people relax and light up a bit when someone is interested enough to ask about them, and to listen. The story of your starting the whole line getting into conversations is wonderful! We can be a light anywhere because of Jesus’ love and presence within us. We never know what kind of discussion may begin. And your husband’s follow-up is terrific. Thank you!