The Message

Do you leave messages on your friends' phones or answering machines? How often does voicemail seem like a chore to be got through? Last Saturday I dialled 1571 (the code for retrieving messages for those of you outside the UK) and what to my wondering ears did appear but a message:

scheheoihflkshehefe (that's white noise) "NO!........AAAAA-AAAYYYYYYYYYE" scheheoihflikshehehfesh (more white noise) click.

You might be puzzled but I wasn't. Clearly the message was left by Larry Gourley, AKA Glitter, and likely had something to do with bikes, DVDs, newspapers, the pub or cars. As it happens, after leaving the message, he caught me on my mobile phone while I was hauling the organic veg home from the market in an 'old lady shopping trolley' that Paula O'Hare wouldn't be caught dead driving. And when Larry got me on the phone he had one big question: "The car?" The logistics were worked out for his transport and, until I got his message at home, I thought no more about it.

Once I heard the message, though, I smiled. My mind was cast back through all the seemingly trivial phone messages that I had treasured for a while throughout my life. Many of them were from friends in L'Arche or kids--people who were just ringing up to see if I was home and happy. You probably have similar messages. Maybe you've played them time and again. Have you ever thought about the messages you leave for others? How many of them have been saved and reviewed just for the pleasure of hearing your loving voice?

Why don't you pick up the phone and make a call? Brighten someone's day. Your name needn't be glitter to make your presence in other people's lives bright and shiny.