Opportunity in an Orange Sweater
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Opportunity in an orange sweater? What? You’ll see…
Today I had an appointment to meet with a man to assist him in pre-arranging his funeral. In addition to meeting at the Funeral Home, I also go to people’s houses, sometimes because they are unable to easily get out, or because they simply feel more comfortable there. And sometimes, like today, I even meet them on a Saturday, because that is really the only time they can meet.
What I love about meeting people for pre-arranging is that I never know who I am going to meet, and what kinds of interesting conversations we are going to have. And sometimes what could be considered a “waste of time” by some, ends up being so lovely to me. It’s all in how you look at a situation, and notice opportunity when it appears.
Today, when I knocked, and the door opened, I was greeted with opportunity in the way of a sweet-looking older man with gray hair, wearing an orange sweater and orange pants. Despite the fact that he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he was beaming with life, and emanating happiness.
He introduced me to his cats, offered me coffee, and sat down in the ultimate sport-fanatic’s room filled with SF Giants and SF 49ers paraphernalia. As we got to chatting, and more down to business, he told me very nicely that he guessed I worked on commission, and didn’t want to waste my time – he was going to be donating his body to science, and had an agreement all set up with UC Davis to do so.
I always appreciate when people are up front with me, and it makes me surprisingly happy to be there any way, because I know they respect my time. As a result, it makes me want to be sure they indeed have all of the information they need, and things set up properly, and I usually spend at least a few minutes, sometimes quite a bit more, going over what they do have.
Orange-sweater man was absolutely delightful and inspiring. I went through some materials that I had brought for him, and I offered to be his final witness for his body donation paperwork – he doesn’t get out as much as he’d like anymore, and he needed an “uninterested party” (i.e. someone with no say to what happens to him post-mortum) to sign the papers. He was so grateful that I would be willing to help him, despite him not being any business for me.
So, you may ask, what has this to do with opportunity, and where is there opportunity in a “no-sale” situation?
If you look and see, there were opportunities aplenty. One, I got to assist this wonderful human being, and to make his acquaintance. That, for me, in and of itself, was a great opportunity. Two, the two of us really “saw” one another, and our spirits brightened just being in one another’s company. Three, he said very much that he would like to pass my information on to any friends or fellow Masons who might need what I am offering (HUGE). Four, he gave me some of his cards; he is what I would like to term a “pro-sponsor” in AA, and an ordained minister, and has quite a knack for getting folks that need help to really talk to him. A true man of service.
I left this beautiful orange-sweater man’s house smiling from ear to ear. Meeting this man was the farthest thing from being a waste of time; in fact, I would have to say that this 20 minute meeting was one of the highlights of my pre-arranging career so far.
So keep your eyes, ears and heart open; opportunity can come in SO many forms. It can come in the form of a referral, from one of the banners you see here on this page, and even from a man in an orange sweater.