Some we see in familiar hallways
nearly every day of our work week.
Others maybe only once in a while.

Something about them—a kind smile,
a gentle word or some good thing we’ve heard
about them from someone else,
or maybe just the way
they quietly go on about their day,
taking care of whatever emerges
and pitching in to help others—

Whatever that something is,
it reassures us a bit about whatever else is going on,
reminds us that there are others,
gentle but strong,
good-hearted and honest to the core,
bearing their own unseen burdens
without resenting the world,
sharing wisdom and humor—
sometimes in the same sentence
and sometimes with considerable space in between.

Whether you call it “lucky” or “blessed”
you know that you and your life
are better for knowing them
and sometimes just seeing them
without them even knowing you’re there
is enough to make your day
take a turn for the good.

And in the finest of fortunes,
someone like that has decided
to share their life with yours.

H. Arnett
8/21/19