It was a regular week day, after doing all my chores inside our house; I went outside at my little garden to say “hi” to my flowering plants. While I was watering them, my seamstress came by to deliver the clothes I asked her to repair. Her name is Alice.
Alice is in her early 40’s. A friend of mine recommended her to me, because she has only few customers, and she can finish any repair or any dress you want her to sew at a nick of time. Besides that, her work is fairly refined, that is why I sometimes wonder, how come she doesn’t have many customers. She doesn’t even charge you a specific amount, she says, it is up to me if how much I want to pay her. She said that, she feels good being able to do well and be of service to others.
Because I have other seamstress, I am aware of the price of clothes being sewed and being repaired. One thing I really admired from Alice, she really doesn’t charge that much, when I pay her, she says, it is too much and returns the money in excess. I only thought, maybe she doesn’t need the extra money.
I never knew her that well. We only meet in some occasions and we don’t discuss matters in life. But there was a time, when I really needed her assistance, my daughter, on one of their school activities had to have her costume repaired, I tried to contact Alice, but with no reply. I had no choice but to go to their house because I needed the repair immediately. I asked my friend, the one who knew her, her address. So I did, found her.
That day, I went to their house. My friend told me, they were only renting the house. The way to their house was very steep; they were at the side of a hill. My heart fell when I saw the house they were renting. Half of it was under the ground, stationed at the side of the hill; the ground was sticky when wet. Maybe Alice saw my eyes and facial expression, I was worried, since it was rainy season, that when the ground became too wet, it would instantly erode and enter their house through the windows and doors. Not only that, what if this happen during night time, where they are all fast asleep. I couldn’t prevent myself from telling her my concerns, but she told me, it’s the only house they could afford and they know that God will never forsake them. She introduced me to her four children, the eldest is seven and the youngest is four years old. Her husband is working as a security guard, one of her child is deaf, and so she has to be always at his side. We were able to talk for a few hours, I realized, I never really knew Alice, but I never heard her complain about things in life. Her motivation is to be strong for her children and as long as you work hard and do well, God will see you through.
The moment she told me that, I felt heaviness in my heart. I remembered the smile in her face while she was saying that it feels good to help others, but in fact, she is the one to be helped. She asked for my apologies for not replying on my calls, because she told me, for now she cannot sew, because her sewing machine is damaged and needs to be replaced. She cannot buy a new one for the moment, because her savings are not yet enough.
I went home, with high admiration towards Alice. I argued with myself, asking questions, how come she doesn’t charge enough to save more to buy a new sewing machine, how come she didn’t ask for my help, and where does she got the strength not to complain of the hardships in life, the positive attitude towards trials.
