Sitting in a waiting room today.

People had to take numbers and were called in order.

I did not have a number, I was just waiting. And observing.

Two women were waiting for their mother. They spoke in whispers as they did not want me to be privy to their gossip.

An older man walked in and took his number.

His number was the next called, and before going into the office, he checked with the two women to make sure he was not jumping them in line.

“Now there’s a real gentleman,” the first woman said. “Not too many of them left.”

“You can say that again,” agreed the second woman. “Few and far between.”

And in a sentence, I had a clear picture of their relationships.

(When you really listen to someone, all it ever takes is one sentence to know their story.)

The point is this: The stories we tell have power.

Choose yours with awareness.

If you do not like the way it is, your job is to tell it like you want it to be.

Or you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.