The Strawberry Chapter 7

The Strawberry Chapter 7

Learning Seeds

by Katherine Aguilar

The Strawberry grew from a collection of my life stories. These experiences have strengthened me and continue to do so. From ups and downs, confusion and clarity, to everyday events that seem small but leave a big impact on my life—it's often the little moments we remember most as we grow older. It's said that wisdom comes with age, and I believe I've improved in some areas, but I'm not perfect yet. I know I lack tact, and this bothers me. I cannot undo my past words, but I can work to improve myself daily.

The Correction

This is the story of a corrective seed thrown back at myself. Or maybe it was a long-overdue lesson, delivered by someone else long ago, that finally took root in me. I didn't realize it at the time. All I knew was that it clicked for me that afternoon. I have grown from it and continue growing each day. I'm not perfect, but this was the one seed that made me realize I needed to get my communication in order. You're never too old to improve. People can still affect me, but I react more slowly to chaos. Often, I say nothing because sometimes silence is the best response.

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Most of my adult life, I have worked two jobs. On this particular day, I went from one job to another. I was not in the best of moods because I was tired, having just left my other job to start another eight-hour shift. I wasn't smiling—not from anger, but from exhaustion. A customer in a hurry wanted to check in while I was on the phone with another guest. I motioned for him to wait a minute. He became visibly flustered. I got off the phone about twenty seconds later. As he became snappy, I responded in kind. I did check him in, annoyed and relieved when he left. Then, a voice in my mind told me, "That was not right. You were rude; you need to apologize." After a minute's thought, I agreed with myself. It wasn’t right. He had already left for work, but I called the number on his reservation and asked to speak to him, telling whoever answered that there was nothing wrong and to have John call the hotel when he could. I left my name.

I continued my shift. About an hour later, John walked in and said, "I got back to work, and my wife called, saying there was something wrong with the reservation!" He asked, "So what was it?" I told him I wanted to apologize because I had been rude and put my frustration from the day on him, which I shouldn’t have. I hoped he could forgive me.

He took a moment to absorb what I said. Then he told me that no one had ever apologized for being rude before. He accepted my apology and left in a better mood.

I also felt better. I realized how powerful words are—they can make or ruin someone’s day. It’s better to admit when you’re wrong than let it fester inside, as that feeling will eat at you until it’s hard to say you’re sorry.

Admit when you're wrong, and let it go. Growth comes from letting go of mistakes and embracing each lesson for a brighter tomorrow.

The Guitarist

These events happened some time ago, but they are worth sharing. One person’s actions—good or bad—can change someone’s perspective or life, or make someone feel valued when they thought no one cared what they had to say or do.

It was a warm summer evening. The sounds of the freeway could be heard every time the lobby door opened. Still, it's pretty slow. I was wrapping up an issue a customer was experiencing in their hotel rooms. When I hear someone playing a classical guitar piece around the corner of the elevator. I honestly thought I was hearing things. Because the hotel where I had worked was far from the location where even a classical guitarist would play. The guitar playing was so beautiful. I forgot I was even working at the hotel. As I came up front, it was an older man playing the guitar. I honestly asked the man, “ Are you lost?” He laughed and said no. “ I told him nobody in this area would even think to pick up a guitar or even play classical guitar”. He told me he was visiting from another area, and his family was traveling from California, and they picked that hotel. I told him he played so beautifully, and asked if he was having a concert anywhere in the metroplex. He said he never played a concert. I told him how this can be. You play so beautifully. He continued to play until his family arrived. It was my luck. Nobody was checking at the time. So it was as if I was having my own Classical Guitar concert, and I truly enjoyed him playing. He was an older man. He told me about his life. He mentioned how he got his wife to say yes to marrying him. He wrote and sang, and played it for her. The wife had come down to the lobby, and she said she was pretty smitten with him after hearing the song. He decided to play and sing the song again for her in the lobby. After hearing the song and hearing him play it. I told his wife. “Thank goodness you said yes quickly!” Any woman hearing that song and having it play. ed Would've said yes quickly. They were a beautiful couple.

The man said his father and mother told him and his siblings they needed to learn an instrument and a language.

I asked him where he played his guitar. He works at a Nursing Home. I said, " Probably the people would come asking out of their rooms, " Saying, did they make it to heaven already?!" Because of how beautifully they played. He mentioned he had never played a concert in his life. I asked him if I could record as he played and post it. I recorded him for a little bit. My phone didn't do his playing justice because it's not up to the task. Still, I posted it. Within a few minutes, I had more hits than I ever had on my site. Even for my regular posts. Which are normally ridiculous. I showed him. He said that not that many people in his life have ever heard him play a song. He said it was the best birthday gift he had received, aside from his wife's gift. I told him it was I who received the gift. Because he spent time with his family playing the guitar for them, and I was treated to hearing it all. I didn't go into work thinking I would get such a gift. It made my evening. I didn't even think I was at work anymore. It was a moment I cherished. Since the week before, I had planned to go to a classical concert.

One seed helped me grow, and another made me feel special. Each encounter, no matter how small, shapes who we become. Cherish the seeds; they're what make life meaningful.