It was raining hard. I was the last person off the bus at the Port Authority. As I walked down the aisle, I noticed four umbrellas that had been left behind. Four umbrellas!

I had picked them up with the hope that the owners would be outside the bus waiting for them. But nobody was there. Just a whir of people in a hurry.

With the four umbrellas, I walked to work puzzled and pondering:

You took the time to remember an umbrella. It was at your feet for 45 minutes as you watched the rain out the window. Yet somehow, you forgot to take the umbrella with you.

Obviously:

·      They’re wet so we don’t keep them next to us.

·      When you’re in a rush, it’s easy to forget things.

·      The unusual shape/size doesn’t fit into your briefcase or purse.

·      We only use them when it’s raining, so we aren’t in the habit of remembering.

How many $10 umbrellas are left behind on rainy days? How much are people spending on umbrellas each year? Maybe if people had more expensive umbrellas, they’d be more careful about remembering them. Maybe.

But I do know this…

We tend to overlook things in life…things that are literally at our feet. An opportunity to stay dry was right there—but they left it behind.

Wondering why I wrote this post? It’s because at MHA, we don’t let you leave any opportunities behind. And if you need an umbrella—we’ve got you covered there too.