Gracie

I was watching Netflix in my hotel room. It was about 8:30pm. I heard knocking on the door of the room next door. More and more knocking. Then pounding, then crying. Finally sobbing. I decided to investigate. In the hall I found a young girl trying to get into the room next to mine. I told her my name and I asked her for hers. Gracie she said. I told her that she had a lovely name. I asked her how old she was... I am six. I asked her what was going on. She said that her mom would not answer the door.
I told her not to worry, that everything would be ok. I said, well, lets go to the office. At the office I explained the situation to the employee who was from another country. The employee did not seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. [This could have easily escalated to a police and family services matter.] Finally we figured out that Gracie had a grandma in room 231 upstairs. So the clerk called grandma and grandma agreed to meet us at the top of the far stairwell.

I walked Gracie down the hall. I told her again that everything was going to be ok. We got to the stairwell and her grandma was calling. Gracie was back in her grandma's room, safe and sound.

I will probably never see her again in this life, but she left a mark on me. When we were talking, I told her that I had kids too. I told her that they were 32, 34 and 36. She said, Mr. Jeff, you don't have kids, you have adults!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.