Three Ladies

By Gary J. Bergenske

A couple of nights ago I attended the BBQ at the Sanford Shrine Club that they have once a month.  The food is always really good, and the people are always friendly and accommodating to everyone.  I enjoy going when I can, it's just a nice relaxed time to spend with friends.

I was one of the first ones through the food line, and once thru I really did not know where I was going to sit.  I had been just wondering around talking to everyone prior to eating, so I had no seat saved for myself.  As I stood there with my plate of food it got more complicated, you see everyone that had been sitting at a table now was in the food line, so there was no way of knowing who had what tables reserved and what tables were open.  So, what to do, I figured I would just pick out a table, sit down and start eating.  If I was in some ones seat, I would just get up and move  on, no big deal.

As I sat down, another Noble and his wife sat next to me, they were in the same situation as me, wondering who's seats we might be in ??  After a few minutes three nice ladies joined us and informed us that we were welcome to join them as the seats were open.  Now I felt much better, and my food tasted even better.  The three ladies introduced themselves, but I really did not catch the names.  I'm bad at that sometimes, most of us have a problem remembering names and I'm one of them.

The names were not so important, it's what transpired during the next half hour as the six of us all enjoyed our dinner.  You see, these three ladies were all widows of Shriners, and they happened to touch my life that evening.  They ended up being at that table on that particular night on a hunch that they might just enjoy coming by for dinner together.  None of them had been to a Shrine function in five years, and yet when one of them suggested going as a threesome last week, they all agreed to visit the Sanford Shrine Club for BBQ.  I'm so glad they did.

They shared with us the good times and good memories they had of the Shrine when their husbands were still here.  How much the Shrine meant to their husbands and how the Shrine had an influence on their lives.  But it went much further than that.  They shared with us what the Shrine and the Masons meant to them after their husbands were gone.  How there was a connection, a helping hand, a friend, and that sense of security whenever they were in the company of Shriners.

They definitely made me feel good about what Shriners do, what we represent, and how we help each other.  I'm so glad that these three ladies made the decision to come out on this night, and thankful that I ended up at their table to hear them talk about the  wonderful things in life we have to enjoy.  I hope to see them again, they said they might visit the Pancake Breakfast next.  If they do, I'm sure they will touch some more lives just like they did mine.   Be PROUD to be a Shriner, it is a wonderful organization.

If you know who these three ladies were,

tell them thank you for coming to share with us,

and may God bless them.