The sun hadn’t been up for long when I wandered into Hobby Lobby today. I wasn’t there on a particular mission; I’d just never really examined the insides of a Hobby Lobby before. Being a consummate shopping princess, I believe in knowing sources from which all things may be obtained. (Just in case, say, my life depends on a scavenger hunt someday.)
I was loitering in aisle 18 when a lady pushed a buggy up beside me and addressed me. “Do you like to do arts and crafts?” She had brown hair, short and curly. Her shopping cart was full of small A-frame chalkboards.
“Sometimes,” I answered truthfully. “What are you looking for?”
She rolled her eyes. “You can never find anyone to help you in this place! I just want some erasable pen I can use on these signs.”
I had no idea. “Have you tried over in artist supplies?” I asked, and could tell by the dazed look the threw in the direction I was pointing: she had no idea either. “I’ll show you,” I said, and so we started walking together.
“I’m new here,” I said, and that started loose a flood of conversation. Had I been here? Had I been there? By the time we’d reached the calligraphy pens and paintbrushes, we were laughing like there was no age difference, no agenda, and no hurry in the world.
Finally, she found what she needed. It was past time for me to run my next errand. “It was so nice meeting you. I’m Bethany,” I said, extending a hand.
“I’m Susan,” she said. “Oh, and while you’re in town, make sure you shop at Kroger. I own fifty of them, located all over the state.”
Really?
I had to stop for a moment and respect the vast amount of energy this woman had. Also, and more importantly, I had to respect that she was someone who would ask a stranger for help finding something in Hobby Lobby.
It wasn’t that she was inept or incompetent: she knew that when you aren’t getting anywhere, you stop and talk to someone. Even a perfect stranger will do. Sometimes you get more helpful strangers… sometimes less. But you always make a new acquaintance, and usually you help the other person feel involved and essential.
Leaders aren’t always the ones helping other people. They’re also the ones asking. It’s an art of getting things done AND drawing people in… It’s the art of asking questions of strangers.