By Vicki Scott
It has been a year and three months since my obsession began after I was assigned a Secret Sister at Cove Creek Baptist Church. I was hesitant at first because I never know whether I am coming or going most of the time. Jennifer Evans, who led the project, assured me that if I could not fulfill my commitment, she would find another Secret Sister for my friend. My mother had a secret pal where she taught school, and it did not end well. I did not want anyone to have a bad secret pal experience on my account.
As a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder tendencies, I put this project in my to-do system. Once it was in my system, every time I went to the store, I looked for a card. I cleaned house looking for cards. At George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe, all my co-workers jumped in and reminded me to send a card by asking if I had any mail to send. One Sunday in church, I proudly watched my Secret Sister open one of her cards from me. I saw the look on her face. She did not open it at first and put it in the chair next to her. She hesitated, tapped on it and finally picked it up and opened it. During that process, I told my husband Alan what was going on and he also watched.
The obsession continued. People were recruited to recruit other people to carry out some of my plans. It made me nervous at times that it might make my Secret Sister feel creepy with all the cards she received. I just enjoyed thinking about the smile on her face as she read what I wrote.
On her birthday, I asked our pastor’s wife, Charlotte Bankson, to give my gift to my Secret Sister’s sister, who would then give to my Secret Sister. COVID complicated a lot of things but God found a way. Before Christmas, I had gotten my Secret Sister an ornament to put on her tree if she wanted to. Tammy Phillips, our church secretary, and her son made sure that Secret Sister got it in time, even in the mist of the uncertainties in their lives. I will be forever grateful!
My Secret Sister loved tulips, so I found tulip stickers to use and was on the lookout for tulip plants. We had one of our senior volunteers bring a plant to my co-worker Faye Moore for her birthday. It was just green with leaves but the next day it bloomed tulips! I wanted to get some for my Secret Sister. It was getting toward the end of our secret sister project, however, and I was not able to get her one. I am not dead yet, so it still might happen.
The Secret Sister reveal was held on a day when we had an overwhelming bit of work to do on both our home in Dadeville and my mother’s home. I suggested to Alan we go in separate vehicles so I could come back early to see my Secret Sister open one last card. I was so excited and had to be there!
After about one hour during my two hour and 15-minute one-way trip to Glencoe, I needed to find a lady’s room. I thought about it and decided that I could make it home without stopping. Everything was going well until the traffic slowed and thickened. I thought there might be a wreck and prayed for the people involved. I passed two wrecks and still had slow thick traffic.
Every car was veering to the right lane except me. I knew in Lincoln there was a right turn that I would have to make if I was in that lane and could not get back into the left lane. I just stayed in the left lane. People were turning into some event in Talladega. Alan did not tell me there was a race or anything, but something was going on.
The traffic was tolerable in Lincoln and I made it home praising God for no leakage. I had planned as I drove to open the gate, then once I drove in, to close it where I would not need to walk back from the carport and risk a dire restroom emergency. I was going to run the house and leave everything in the car and come back after some relief. The dogs were happy to see me but could sense some tension and left me alone.
I was excited as I rounded the corner to the bathroom but then slipped on the hall rug and fell. What a disaster! I had left my clothes in the car but thankfully there were some dirty clothes in the clothes basket that I used while I retrieved everything out of my car. A good, hot and long shower followed.
After I finished, I sat down and noticed that my Secret Sister might not be coming. That was when I remembered to take my blood pressure medicine. I then started making plans to write about her and tell you who she is. My Secret Sister’s real sister wanted me to do it anyway, because my Secret Sister did make it to the reveal. It made it all worth it. We did some fun crafts at the reveal that Coni Maltbe orchestrated nicely. I praise God for everyone who participated to make this happen.
I returned home and returned my husband’s phone call. He was concerned that I was out so late. I was enjoying being filled with food, fellowship and that sweet Holy Spirit with my sisters in Christ, and I got to watch the smile on my Secret Sister’s face as she opened her card one more time! It just does something to you! Now it’s time to tame my obsession and deprogram.
I love y’all! Stay safe!