Our presence at the facility where we stay is pretty low key. The name tags we wear are as much so that we remember one another at this early point in our formation as they are so that others who are not there for that purpose know who we are. We do not broadcast our presence to the guests at the hotel. They are there for a good night's sleep, we are there to gain the knowledge and the discernment we need to better serve the Church in the years to come. The hotel provides us a convenient place in which to do that, and if it happens that others are as blessed by our presence there as we feel blessed to be there and blessed by each other, I'm thankful for that-and I am sure the other Aspirants are, too. However, there is one group at the hotel that knows we are there and can't ignore our presence, and they know we are coming-and that is the hotel staff.
The staff of the hotel know that we are coming, and most of them know when we are going to be there. I'm not sure if all of the staff know why we are there, but I do know that some of them have an idea by now, and the ones who haven't grasped that at least know we are not there for ordinary business, that's for sure. We aren't in our rooms much except at night. I've been known to sneak up to my room after finishing lunch or supper early in order to stretch, shave, use the restroom privately, or call Nicole (we do not keep our cell phones in the classroom, at Mass, or at prayers). However, if class is not out completely for the day, I have a limited amount of time in which to do these things, and I have to watch the clock. Miss a few minutes of class, and you can miss quite a lot.
I cannot say enough about the kindness and the consideration of so many of the hotel staff. Those of you reading this who know me know that I needed an adapted room with a walk-in shower when I travel. I've stayed in rooms that do not have this, and it makes staying clean and comfortable very difficult for me. Not only has the hotel provided for this, but the housekeepers seem to have gone the extra mile, making sure I have extra towels-and necessary things always seem to be where I can reach them. I feel like someone is watching me-in the positive sense-as though the staff is quietly observing me to figure out what I might have need of without asking. My room is about five paces away from where hot coffee and water for tea is always available for guests at any time of the day or night. Others have to seek the place where the coffee is, but I just have to step outside my door. The elevator that goes downstairs to our classroom is just ten paces away
We eat breakfast, along with other hotel guests, on the other side of the same room from where the aforementioned coffee and tea is located. The fella that sees to our hot breakfast came quickly to know me, and as soon as I appear promptly at 6:00am (prayers begin at 7:45, followed by class. I'm a little slower than others, so I eat early, or I don't eat), he's asking if I need anything, and he jumps to get it whether I really need it or not. The same fella has gone out of his way to make sure our little classroom has a supply of coffee and cookies that will last us for as long as we need to be there. We don't need the cookies, we just like them, but it must be admitted that quite a lot of us need the coffee. He doesn't have to bring us coffee, since it wouldn't be much for us to go upstairs at break time and get coffee-but he is kind to bring coffee to us anyway-and was especially kind in something that he did for me and for Nicole, even though Nicole has never been to formation with me yet.
Last month on Sunday morning, our friend was carrying a tray of Otis Spunkmeyer cookies that was also laden with some small muffins from breakfast for us for our Sunday sessions. I caught him on the elevator downstairs, and he said that he was bringing some muffins because he had heard that some of the guys had grown tired of cookies. I commented in jest and in passing "that's bunk, you can never have too many cookies." (Fresh cookies were my favorite childhood dessert, and they remain my favorite as an adult).
My breakfast buddy remembered that remark, because after I was through eating breakfast Saturday morning this month, he brought me a wrapped plate filled to the brim with cookies, and said "well, you were the one who said that you can't have too many cookies." I was shocked and surprised and tickled to death...I laughed about it several times throughout the day. While other Aspirants had to get up for their cookies during class, I had a personal plate. I did offer to share with my neighbors, but only one took me up on it. I had leftovers at the end of the weekend, so I just added those to the massive bag of cookies that I was given on Sunday was told to take home to my wife. Yes, I did take them to Nicole, and yes, she has managed over several days to eat and enjoy them. We both send our thanks to the kindness of the hotel staff-we can't thank them enough, really. I was very humbled.
That experience, among many others, has lent itself to something that our Deacon Director told us awhile back-that lots of people are on this journey with us, even the hotel staff. I now remember our new friends the staff in my prayers each morning and night. I'm thankful for them, and I pray that the Lord continues to bless them in their work of blessing others with hospitality.
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