Week 456

Positive Post Sunday, November 23, 2025…. Week 456.  This past week, Michele and I once again joined the uplifting tradition of serving Thanksgiving lunch at Goodwill Southern California’s San Bernardino campus. This is a tradition I humbly began years ago at SoCalGas, when employees stepped forward to serve the meal, a role previously carried out by the local Goodwill staff. By doing so, the staff were free to sit down, share the meal with their colleagues, and spend time visiting with community partners, leaders, and supporters. What began as a simple act of service has grown into a cherished annual rhythm of fellowship and gratitude.

As we left the luncheon, our hearts were overflowing with joy and appreciation for the amazing work Goodwill continues to do in fulfilling its mission of “Transforming Lives Through the Power of Work” and for the blessing of serving once more alongside my former colleagues, even in retirement. In that moment of gratitude, I whispered a quiet prayer, thanking our Lord for the privilege of this unique opportunity to serve each year.

Just as I finished my prayer, I noticed something unique and remarkable: at the end of a row of vibrant red rose bushes, just outside the entrance to Goodwill, stood one red rose bush with a single white rose, shining among the sea of red. Some might see this as unusual, but to me it was a subtle message from our Lord. Red roses, symbols of love, passion, and commitment, surrounded this lone white rose, which represents purity, innocence, and new beginnings.

The image spoke deeply to me. That white rose reminded me of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pure and innocent, surrounded by the divine love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in that moment, I realized how perfectly this vision tied back to our experience at Goodwill.

Serving Thanksgiving lunch was not just about food; it was about embodying love, passion, and commitment (the red roses) through acts of service. Yet, within that sea of love, there was also the white rose: the purity of intention, the innocence of giving without expectation, and the new beginnings made possible for those Goodwill serves. Just as the white rose stood out among the red, Goodwill’s mission stands out in our community, bringing hope, dignity, and transformation to lives through the power of work.

For me, that single white rose was a divine reminder that service rooted in love and commitment is most beautiful when it also carries purity of heart. And that is exactly what I witnessed at Goodwill: a community united in love, offering pure acts of kindness, and opening doors to new beginnings for those seeking a better future.

How will you serve others this Thanksgiving, embodying love, passion, and commitment?

Where are the Unique opportunities for you to be the white rose in your daily life, serving with purity of heart?