I promise you, I'm not the rehab counselor that you're looking for. Unless you're hoping to eat lots of beets & arugula & drink kombucha! ❦
I tweeted that 12 years ago...
Yesterday, while I was standing in line at my local health food emporium to purchase a few supplements, the woman in front of me noticed that I was getting a particular supplement from Source Naturals and said, "Oh, my friend told me I should be taking that..." I looked at her, surmised that she probably SHOULD be taking it, asked her if she would like my bottle and explained that I would go back and get another one for myself. She added my bottle to her myriad collection of things and I went back to find another bottle. When I came back she asked me how I possibly knew that she needed the bottle and I quickly explained that I was an herbalist.
Remember that all of this is happening in the checkout line.
Yesterday, while I was standing in line at my local health food emporium to purchase a few supplements, the woman in front of me noticed that I was getting a particular supplement from Source Naturals and said, "Oh, my friend told me I should be taking that..." I looked at her, surmised that she probably SHOULD be taking it, asked her if she would like my bottle and explained that I would go back and get another one for myself. She added my bottle to her myriad collection of things and I went back to find another bottle. When I came back she asked me how I possibly knew that she needed the bottle and I quickly explained that I was an herbalist.
Remember that all of this is happening in the checkout line.
"You're an herbalist who volunteers at Sundance?"
"Yes. I am. I've been volunteering at Sundance for a very long time."
She rattled off a few films from this years festival that she saw and also shared that her sister had a documentary in last year's festival. Salt Lake City is really Small Lake City and this happens here pretty frequently. Then she noticed another supplement in my stash and wanted to know why I was getting it? The cashier wanted to know, too. So I shared about its particular benefits and the reasons why my menopausal body just feels BETTER when I take it twice a day and she nodded along and I explained to the cashier that it wasn't quite time for her to add it in to her regimen, but did share that there was something else for her if she was feeling less than optimal.
We're still standing in the checkout line. There's a snafu with her member number. I still have not paid for my supplements. I actually have to go to my own appointment, but I also realize that this woman, in this very moment, needs just a smidge of kindness. We all can do that. I absolutely can do that.
She asks me where I work. I explain that I work at an acupuncture clinic, but I don't actually provide the acupuncture or even do herbal consults there, I just take good care of the patients. I offer to give her my phone number and share that I am happy to help her and that I never charge for my services.
She looks at me like I have literally just sprouted a unicorn horn from the middle of my forehead.
"Why would you not charge? That's insane!"
"I just really believe it's a gift. We share our knowledge and help one another to feel better. That if you're better, it will ripple out and our world will be better."
"Wow."
We exchanged phone numbers. I told her to put me in her phone as NAKEDJEN because, well, obviously. I also told her it was a very long story and I'd explain later. She left, I apologized to the cashier for taking SO MUCH TIME, the cashier said she LOVED with this kind of thing happened, I paid for my supplements and hurried out the door to my appointment. When I got there I sent this text:
Nice to meet you today at checkout.
Definitely take two a day.
How can I help? 💜
"Yes. I am. I've been volunteering at Sundance for a very long time."
She rattled off a few films from this years festival that she saw and also shared that her sister had a documentary in last year's festival. Salt Lake City is really Small Lake City and this happens here pretty frequently. Then she noticed another supplement in my stash and wanted to know why I was getting it? The cashier wanted to know, too. So I shared about its particular benefits and the reasons why my menopausal body just feels BETTER when I take it twice a day and she nodded along and I explained to the cashier that it wasn't quite time for her to add it in to her regimen, but did share that there was something else for her if she was feeling less than optimal.
We're still standing in the checkout line. There's a snafu with her member number. I still have not paid for my supplements. I actually have to go to my own appointment, but I also realize that this woman, in this very moment, needs just a smidge of kindness. We all can do that. I absolutely can do that.
She asks me where I work. I explain that I work at an acupuncture clinic, but I don't actually provide the acupuncture or even do herbal consults there, I just take good care of the patients. I offer to give her my phone number and share that I am happy to help her and that I never charge for my services.
She looks at me like I have literally just sprouted a unicorn horn from the middle of my forehead.
"Why would you not charge? That's insane!"
"I just really believe it's a gift. We share our knowledge and help one another to feel better. That if you're better, it will ripple out and our world will be better."
"Wow."
We exchanged phone numbers. I told her to put me in her phone as NAKEDJEN because, well, obviously. I also told her it was a very long story and I'd explain later. She left, I apologized to the cashier for taking SO MUCH TIME, the cashier said she LOVED with this kind of thing happened, I paid for my supplements and hurried out the door to my appointment. When I got there I sent this text:
Nice to meet you today at checkout.
Definitely take two a day.
How can I help? 💜
