I had the pleasure of meeting THEE most unusual character today. She approached the framing counter and because I am in the process of training a new framer (and might I add I dearly love this framer already!) we were both there to assist this snazzy looking lady. She was about 5’6″, short white hair, glasses, a beautiful white blouse with blue flowers that matched the pretty silver and blue necklace she was wearing. I always take notice of “blouse” wearers because they’re what my mom loved to wear and I must say, she would have approved! This customer had a cross stitched cross picture she wanted framed for her granddaughter’s wedding gift but because of how the conversation started I sort of thought she might lean towards a ready made frame rather than custom. Somewhere in the process my framer began pulling out some mat samples and because there were quite a number of colors in the stitchery, there were lots of available directions to go. We tried rust, warm silver, teal in several shades and a purple plum. One minute she didn’t like anything we tried and then she would switch gears and like something she just told us she didn’t and it was the very same with the frames we were showing her. I can usually tell what direction a potential sale is going to go but “Doris” had me completely stumped. Another customer in need of mats arrived so my framer graciously moved on to help her and there I was…with Doris. I wasn’t going to give up but I really wasn’t sure what to try next. What’s interesting is she could talk herself out of and into things faster than I could offer suggestions. She was a quick witted lady, yes she was! One color we hadn’t tried was yellow which was present in the piece but she said, “I’ve never been much for yellow. She offered that years ago her mother took her shopping for a new dress. She sort of knew what she wanted but her mother insisted that she try on a particular yellow one. Doris knew yellow just wasn’t her color but in an effort to not disappoint her mother, she tried it on. Her mother took one look at her and quickly said, “Take it off! It’s awful!” She laughed and I could tell that, for a moment, she was right there in that dress shop with her mother. You’ve got to love those moments. They’re the jewels in the “treasure chest” of memories we all have and I love it when people offer those glimpses of their jewels to me. She did finally make up her mind and what she chose were some of the very first things we tried….imagine that, right?What happened next hit me by complete surprise. The very best conversation began with a woman that had me entertaining thoughts of yanking out every one of my hairs, one strand at a time! Lol! She asked me how old I thought she was and honestly, I do hate to say but she looked like she was about 70. I nearly fell over when she smiled and said she was 89!! I asked her what I needed to do to be her someday and with the sweetest smile and a little giggle she said, “Keep movin! It’s harder for death to catch you when you’re moving. Sit still and it’s gotcha!” She went on to tell me she hadn’t had an easy life but she said, “You can’t let that stop you unless it does.” She suffered through 3 heart attacks, angioplasty, a triple bypass and told me she takes her medications and keeps on going. I wasn’t sure Doris and I were going to click at first as it’s a bit challenging to hear, “Nope, I don’t like that, nope, I don’t like that, nope, nope, nope.” but eventually one wears the other down or vice versa and someone ends up triumphant! Today was a win for Doris as her gift for her granddaughter will be a treasure stitched by her grandmother’s hands surrounded by some beautiful mats and a very nice frame and a win also for me, as I had an opportunity to remember humility is something we all need to keep well stocked in our mind’s “cupboard.”