T.A.P. into the Possibilities

Believe that the possibility exists and then make extraordinary things happen.

Tag Archives: appreciation


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Feeding Mr. Grey

An overwhelming desire for some french fries dominated my thoughts and pushed its way up to the top of my to-do list. Luckily, I was not far from a McDonalds that I knew had extremely tasty french fries so I drove in. The anticipation of blowing on a long, perfectly shaped fry before I popped it into my mouth was on replay in my head.. I got my order and drove through the small lot looking for a place to devour my bag of goodies. Ah-ha, I spotted a place in the shade and drove toward it. As I gocloser I saw a shopping cart that I thought was blocking the space. the relief was short lived hen I saw that it wasn;t because then i noticed a man standing to the side of it. His image had been blocked by the parked car beside the open space. i reached into my bag and pulled out a french fry. it did not disappoint as my mouth watered at the taste of perfectly salted potato. I pressed the brake when I saw the homeless man. His cart was probably shiny and silver at one time, but now it had a dull gray tone to it which at certain spots yielded to burgundy spots of jagged rust. His looked like a gray ghost with clothes that had changed from white to gray as they carried the dirt of his struggles in their fabric. His hair was gray not only from dust, but from living a hard life of many years, yet his eyes still kept their hue as he looked at me and smiled. Aw, man, I can’t sit ib frint if him and eat.” I thought. “I have to move to another space so I can eat in peace.”

I drove about six feet when I gave myself a conscious slp in the heart. “What is your problem, Teresa. Are you really going to go to another part of this lot and eat after what you have just seen?!? I dared myself to continue one more inch. the shame was almost too much to bear and I hung my head as I looked at the bag and sighed. I put the car in reverse and drove over to the spot. I asked the guy if he was hungry. He slowly got up and walked over to my car. “Yes, I am,” he replied. “You know, I really love this McDonald’s french fries, but I want to give you this food,  I only ate one fry out of it.” He smiled at me and I gave him the bag and a soda. I then told him, “I am sorry that I almost pulled away. That was very selfish of me and I am ashamed that I did that.” What he said to me confirmed what I suspected, that compassion is a gift that can come from anyone. He said, “I knew you were going to come back, I could see it in your face and then when I saw your break lights come on, I knew you were just trying to work it out in your head.” That gave me a strange sense of relief like he had forgiven my hesitation and I promised him that I would not hesitate at the next opportunity to help someone. I drove back to the drive-thru and ordered again. On my way out of the drive-thru, I saw another man standing next to a worn down bicycle with clothes crumbled up on a make-shift rack which he had attached to the back of the bike. I looked up and said, “Really, God?!? I am not going to get to eat this bag of fries either? I guess I am going to circle the drive-thru all day.”  I laughed and drove up to the man who smiled at me as if he knew what was going to happen. I tried not to sound hesitant as I asked him, “Are you hungry?” He said he was so I gave him the food and drove back around to the drive thru for a third time. By now I had to convince the guy at the window that I was giving the food away and not eating it. He laughed and swiped my debit card for a third time. I was sure I would get to eat some fries this time. I slowly drove around the corner after I got my bag of food and to my relief, the coast was clear. It was my turn to eat now. I drove to a space under the shade and looked around one more time before I began to eat, still looking around occasionally. That night when I got home, I checked my bank account online only to find that I was overdrawn by $38. There had not been any money in my account when I purchased the three meals. Sometimes things just work out better than they were supposed to and I remain grateful for that.


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Beyond the Smile

Wonderful things are happening in my life today; allow me to share. This morning while at the post office, I met a woman who had shaved off all of her hair. What I noticed right away was her smile and the light in her eyes; she was beautiful. I could not help, but be uplifted by her mere presence. We had a great conversation and I felt encouraged by her. She called the moles on my face “extra special” which was touching since I don’t always like them. She also said that I will be a great defender. She then told me that she was going to school to be a nurse practitioner and that she had won her battle with cancer. What?!?! Just yesterday I decided to do the run for her 5K Run and Friendship Walk. I gave her my T.A.P. into the Possibilities card because we were meant to know each other. After that, blessings just kept coming and I am paying it forward. I have raised the goal on my donations page twice because people are donating. I really feel blessed despite the challenges that I am determined to conquer. ‪


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You Don’t Even Know Who I Am?

One day, I was going to the doctor’s office. I wasn’t feeling very happy, as a matter of fact, I was feeling a little down. I was feeling like I didn’t matter to anyone, including God so I walked with my head down and said, “God, you probably don’t even know my name.” When I came out of the doctor’s office, my head was still lowered and then I saw a glimmer of light on the ground. As I approached it, I could see clearly what it was and picked it up. It was a Mother Teresa medallion. My name is also Teresa. I guess God showed me. That was several years ago and I carry it with me to this day. When I turned it over, it said, “Pray for us.” When I told my friend, Latisha what it said on the back of the medallion, she asked, Well, did you do it?” I was confused so I asked her, “Did I do what?” She calmly said, “Pray for us.” I was embarrassed to tell her that I had not said a prayer. After we hung up, I prayed for all of us.


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Going My Way

I had decided to go to the 6:00 a.m. service at Faithful Central Bible Church today, but when I woke up at 5:00 a.m., it was raining, cold and dark and I was still tired so I set my alarm clock for a later time so I could go to the 10:00 a.m. service. On my way to the church, I saw a guy running down La Brea Avenue with his hand in the air as if he was trying to hail a taxi. It was not a taxi, but the bus which moved away from him to the middle lane and kept on moving down the street. I felt that I should give him a ride and I was not worried about being late for church because of it. I turned around and pulled up on his side of the street. I asked him if he was trying to catch the bus and he said, “Yes.” I asked him if I could take him to his destination. He saw the Uber sticker in my window and said, “Are you Uber?” I told him that I was not working and could give him a ride without charging him. He smiled and got into my car. He asked me where I was going and I told him, “I am going to Faithful Central.” I then asked him where he was going and he replied, “The same place.” We both laughed and rode on down the street, talking and laughing. When we arrived, he pulled out $10 and before he could hand it to me, I said, “I can’t take that, just do something nice for someone else, that is how I do it.” He asked, “Is that what you want me to do?” and I said, “Yes, that is how I do it.” He said, “OK and I want you to take this money. That’s how I do it.” I chuckled and accepted his money. We were walking through the parking lot to the church when he stopped and said, “Oh no, I think I left my phone in your car and then he apologized profusely while we were walking back to the car. I kept telling him not to worry because I needed the exercise. We both laughed. He got his phone and we walked back and entered the church with the choir and congregation singing. As I went to my seat, I was grateful that I was in the right place at the right time. May that continue to happen. As for the $10, I am going to get ten single dollar bills and keep them in the door pocket so that when I drive pass people on the street who are asking for money, I don’t have to fumble around in my bag and miss the opportunity to give them their dollar.‪


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A Young Man’s Jacket

I went to Oki’s Dog to get some fries because that was all I could afford. While standing inside, I could see a young man outside putting on his jacket in the rain. The young lady behind the counter said, “That man is really nice!” I was curious so I said, “What did he do?” She then smiled and said, “He gave his jacket to the guy standing in the rain.” Just as I started to smile, the young man ordered food for the man to whom he had given his coat. I thought to myself, this is the kind of person I want in my life, someone who is compassionate and in touch with humanity. I walked around to the outside counter and as I got to where he was, he had walked away. I stood there silent and disappointed when suddenly he turned around and smiled at me. I said, “I wished you back to me.” He walked over and I said. “You did a beautiful thing just now and I would be honored to be your friend. Here is my card so we can keep in touch.” He told me that he saw that the man was cold and looked hungry so he gave him his jacket and bought him some food. The interesting thing is, the man to whom he had lent his jacket, protested the offer of food, but the young man insisted and bought him a special. I smiled and told him that I am just like him. Remember, it doesn’t take much to be a blessing to someone. When he sends me a friend request, that will be my blessing.


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A Song for Twenty Strangers

I was standing in line chatting with the customers and humming along with Muzak. When I got up to the window, I heard a very tall and commanding man behind me say, “I thought I heard someone singing.” I turned to him and said with a big smile, “I was humming. You could hear me?” He shook his head in acknowledgement and asked me if I could sing as good as Howard Hewett, who was singing, “This Ring” over the sound system. I smiled at him and said, “Oh, I can sing!” He then said, if you can sing better than Howard, I will give you $20 (wait for it…). The teller was busy typing into the computer so I had time to have the conversation. The man then started to talk about the best fried chicken was…I interrupted and said, “Don’t try to change the subject, I was getting ready to sing.” The people in line laughed and waited for me to begin. I started to sing, “Who’s Loving You,” as I slowly walked toward him and reached for the $20 that he had peeled from a large wad of cash. The people in line were smiling and the tellers were smiling and the manager walked out to listen. The man gave me the $20 after I successfully hit the high note at the end of the song and said, “I bet she didn’t know that she would be getting this $20 at the credit union today.” To which I replied, “No, I didn’t, but I did know that I would receive a blessing today because God is good!”. Everyone looked happy even the people who were standing in line with serious faces before I sang. I walked out waving and said, “I’ll be here all week!” I could hear people laughing as I walked out. As I drove off, a lady was walking to her car and she gave me this huge smile and I smiled back. I have been a member of this credit union since 1981 and this is the first time I have sung in their lobby. Who knows, it might not be the last.


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An Obedient Heart

I had decided to go to the 6:00 a.m. service at Faithful Central Bible Church today, but when I woke up at 5:00 a.m., it was raining, cold and dark and I was still tired so I set my alarm clock for a later time so I could go to the 10:00 a.m. service. On my way to the church, I saw a guy running down La Brea Avenue with his hand in the air as if he was trying to hail a taxi. It was not a taxi, but the bus which moved away from him to the middle lane and kept on moving down the street. I felt that I should give him a ride and I was not worried about being late for church because of it. I turned around and pulled up on his side of the street. I asked him if he was trying to catch the bus and he said, “Yes.” I asked him if I could take him to his destination. He saw the Uber sticker in my window and said, “Are you Uber?” I told him that I was not working and could give him a ride without charging him. He smiled and got into my car. He asked me where I was going and I told him, “I am going to Faithful Central.” I then asked him where he was going and he replied, “The same place.” We both laughed and rode on down the street, talking and laughing. When we arrived, he pulled out $10 and before he could hand it to me, I said, “I can’t take that, just do something nice for someone else, that is how I do it.” He asked, “Is that what you want me to do?” and I said, “Yes, that is how I do it.” He said, “OK and I want you to take this money. That’s how I do it.” I chuckled and accepted his money. We were walking through the parking lot to the church when he stopped and said, “Oh no, I think I left my phone in your car and then he apologized profusely while we were walking back to the car. I kept telling him not to worry because I needed the exercise. We both laughed. He got his phone and we walked back and entered the church with the choir and congregation singing. As I went to my seat, I was grateful that I was in the right place at the right time. May that continue to happen. As for the $10, I am going to get ten single dollar bills and keep them in the door pocket so that when I drive pass people on the street who are asking for money, I don’t have to fumble around in my bag and miss the opportunity to give them their dollar.