The Woman On The Escalator

It was always a treat to go shopping with my mother.
A shopping excursion took us to a department store.
Malls were not even thought of yet.
The department store had many levels, which you reached by escalator or elevator.

Many department stores had a restaurant on the top floor.
We would get dressed up and make a day of it.
If we went into the city, we would meet my aunt for lunch as well.
Some women wore hats and gloves; men wore suits.

I liked taking the elevator to the top floor.
Usually a man in a crisp suit, wearing gloves, hit the button for the floor we wanted.
The elevator had a gate that needed to be closed before the elevator door shut.
It was a safeguard so a person didn’t step off the elevator too soon.

Those days were such a treat for me as a little girl.
When I stopped biting my nails, my aunt took me to get a manicure.
I was quite young.
The manicure consisted of dipping my fingers in soapy water, having my nails filed and painted.

I felt so grown up.
I thought that everyone I passed in the store knew that a rite of passage had just been crossed.
I was sure everyone noticed my pale, pink nail polish.
If truth be told, only my aunt and I ever knew.

There were a few department stores near my home.
It was a treat to go there as well, though not as exciting as the stores in the city.
Salespeople wrapped our purchases with care.
Tissue paper surrounded the just bought item before it was placed in the bag.

I remember being intrigued with the notions department.
Here, one could find buttons, ribbons, beads, pins, thread, and other small items.
I loved the word, notions.
I always asked my mother if we could go to that department for a few things.

I remember the day we went to a lovely store that we only visited on special occasions.
We took the escalator to the second floor.
In front of me was a lovely young woman with her hair up in a bun on top of her head.
She was tall and thin and I remember noticing she had a long neck.

I wasn’t sure if it was her hair style or if her neck was indeed quite long.
She got off the escalator and I noticed her walk.
It was a kind of walk I had never seen before.
She seemed to put her toes down first in an odd sort of way.

It was almost as if she was stepping gingerly on the floor as if not to disturb it.
It was an odd way to walk.
There were no hot coals beneath her feet.
There was no broken glass on which she might step.

My mother saw me looking at her.
When the young woman was out of earshot, my mother turned to me.
What are you thinking? She asked knowing that I was trying to figure it out.
I was watching the way she walked, I answered, knowing my mother saw it, too.

That woman is a ballet dancer, my mother said.
She is probably used to wearing toe shoes most of the time.
You know how you feel when you roller skate?
You always say that when you take your skates off, it still feels as if you are skating.

I had seen ballerinas before.
They were so elegant.
Their hair was usually worn on top of their head.
They were thin, with long necks; they always reminded me of a graceful swan.

I wanted to walk just like the ballerina.
I wanted to step on the floor gingerly so as not to disturb it.
I wanted my feet to remember what it felt like to wear toe shoes.
Except, I had not had a ballet lesson since I was six years old.

Her feet are probably very blistered, my mother said.
Her feet take a beating each day.
Imagine standing on your toes for hours on end.
A lot of work and practice goes into a performance.

I still tried to walk like the ballerina when we got home.
It was hard to do.
I was not trained; I had never worn toe shoes.
I was copying something that didn’t fit me and for which I wasn’t prepared.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God...(Colossians 1:9,10)

I can still see that young woman getting off the escalator.
I can still remember the way she walked.
I can still recall how I was unable to copy her.
I did not train or practice like her.

We can try to copy another person’s spiritual walk with God.
We can do all the right things.
We can even look the part.
However without practice, training, and diligence, we will fail.

Walking in a manner worthy of the Lord means we are walking like Him.
The young woman on the escalator had no idea I was trying to copy her walk.
However, God the Father is pleased when we try to copy His Son, Jesus.
In fact, Jesus sent His Spirit to help us do just that.

We are not floundering alone and forgotten.
The Holy Spirit takes what is Jesus’ and makes it known to us.
All that the Father has is mine.
Therefore, I said that He [Spirit] will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:15)

Trying to copy one another will usually result in failure.
Trying to copy Jesus makes the Father pleased.
It is the one form of copying that can be done.
The Spirit makes sure of it.

 

2 responses to “The Woman On The Escalator”

1. This is a delightful story woven with wisdom. Thank you!

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   • Thank you, Lorna.
     I am delighted that you were blessed.
     Gina

     Reply