This Wednesday, I get to unpack something that’s weighed heavy on my heart for the past couple of weeks. It’s not something I’m proud of. In fact, I am personally disappointed in myself when I think back to the “incident”. I tried to justify my thoughts and actions. I compared how I responded to what someone else might have done. In full transparency, I lost sleep over it. I let it get the best of me in the worst way. That little voice inside my head became louder, clearer, and more prominent. When I tried to minimize it, the feelings only compounded… If you’ve spent any time with me, you know I love people. It’s exhilarating for me to walk into a room full of strangers. I love to hear their story, what they enjoy, their favorite restaurants, and most importantly, if they want a hug. I know, I know, not everyone appreciates a hug like me, but let’s face it, I’m a hugger. It was close to 7:15pm. The store was closed, and I was still working on a few projects. As I walked to the kitchen area in the front, I saw a few people approaching on their way to dinner at Lagniappe. Brace yourself for this…I immediately sat down behind the kitchen counter, so they wouldn’t notice me. When I sat down, it wasn’t in a chair, it was on the floor. I waited a couple of minutes and then peeked over the counter to check on my status. They were gone. Good. Now I can get back to work. It may not seem like that big of a deal. It was after hours (we close at 6:00pm). I wasn’t obligated, per se, to greet them at the front door and invite them in, but that’s what I do. That’s who I am! Frequently I’ve opened early or stayed late to accommodate people. But that night, four clever words I read on a dish towel resonated in my mind, “I can’t people today.” We all know that feeling when we’ve had enough. It’s extremely rare for me but this was one of those days. I realized as I started to unpack the guilt that it was less about me and more about the people I missed. What if it was their first time to the store? What if I could have helped make their evening more memorable? What if they needed a hug? When I allowed the chatter in my head to quiet down something hit me. When “I can’t”, Jesus can. When “I can’t people today”, Jesus can. He has the capacity, even when I don’t. Yes, there are healthy boundaries we have to establish. If we are accessible to everyone all the time, we won’t be available for the ones when they need us the most. It’s a balance, or rhythm we have to find. Different seasons create different rhythms and we have to decipher how it affects us and those around us. In Luke 9, Jesus sent out his disciples with all the power and authority. When they returned, they began telling Jesus about all they had done. Despite an attempt to get away and spend some time with his boys, a crowd began to form. Jesus welcomed the crowd, spoke about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. After that, he proceeded to feed 5,000+ with only five loaves of bread and two fish. He made time. And in the end, the Bible says, “they all ate and were satisfied.” You might not be able to recreate feeding 5,000+ with a little bread and fish, but your time might be the satisfaction that someone else needs. You can. I can. “We can people today!”