How Can It Be Time For THAT Already?

I do not understand how it can be that four years have already gone by.  Four years since I last had my photo driver's license renewed.  It feels like it has been just a year or maybe two.  Not four, though.  No way.

But there it was - that letter in the mail asking for some money and telling me to wait for my camera card to arrive after they receive my check.

So I went in to the nearest Pennsylvania Photo Drivers' License office today.  I took a number from the little gadget that shoots numbers out, because obviously the room was full and I was gonna have to wait my turn.

It's a small office here in our town.  Everybody can see everybody else's business, including the signatures and pictures on the screen, and so of course, every person in the room indulges in total shameless nosiness.

Moi aussi.

Sitting there and examining the business prior to my turn, I found myself thinking deep philosophical thoughts.  Who woulda thunk that would happen just in the process of getting a new license?

I saw a definite exhibit of big time vanity in that room.  One woman required her photo to be taken eight times before she was satisfied with her picture.  Thinking about it, I had to admit to myself that I just don't really care that much about my photo.  As long as the top portion of my head isn't cut off, well then, that's good enough for me.

I thought about the issue of organ donation.  Of the five customers in turn before me, not one of them wanted to be an organ donor.  Not one!  Why not?  Apart from the straight forward knowledge that donating an organ can offer extended life or quality of life to someone, as a Christian I look at it this way:  perhaps a non-believer receiving my organ will have enough additional time - time during which he may ultimately experience a faith transformation before death.

I felt grateful that I can still hear fairly well.  There was a lot of yelling in that office.  The clerk had to practically shout directions to some of the folks in there who obviously needed hearing aids.

I felt thankful that I am somewhat intelligent in simple problem solving skills.  Every single one of the five clients before me asked the lady if they were to sign their name using their middle name or just using their middle initial.  In each case, she said it didn't matter.  Yet five people asked the same question.  Guess what?  I didn't ask her that question.  Even if I hadn't heard the answer five times before me, I probably would've looked at my old license and followed the pattern.

I noticed how patient and friendly the clerk was, to each of the customers.  Her job requires her to do the same few tasks, over and over, day after day, year after year.  Watching her, I said prayers of thankfulness that I had loved my job during my working years, and that it wasn't monotonous.

Finally, I was pleasantly surprised that she did not point out my obvious weight gain since four years ago.  She merely said, "See you in four years!"

I like her.