Sometimes we need to go with intuition

Sometimes being in Las Vegas, even for work, can bring unforeseen blessings.

Take a recent night, for instance.

I'm in a hotel. It's dinnertime, and I'm hungry. So I wander around the hotel lobby and come upon a café.

"Cool, I can order out," I think.

Yet, to order out, you have to do so from a counter where those who don't want to wait for a table are sitting.

I chose a seat next to an older woman, even though I could have sat two or three seats away from her.

For some reason I am drawn to her. Her smile is enormous, as is the glisten in her eyes. I can also feel her warm presence.

"How are you?" she asks as I sit down.

"I'm great thank you, and you?"

"Excellent." She smiles.

"I'm Cynthia, by the way," I say as I extend my hand.

"I'm Mary," she says as she takes my hand in hers.

I love this woman already.

I find out Mary's from Chicago. She flew to Vegas by herself to celebrate her 77th birthday. Now I'm really glad I sat there. Mary tells me she's a Christian, but I already knew that.

Mary's turkey dinner meal arrives.

"Have my potatoes," she says.

"Oh, no, thank you, those are for you."

"No I won't eat them," she insists.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"OK, sure. Thank you, Mary."

"And have my bun, too … sir, sir," she motions to the man behind the counter. "Can we have a saucer here please?"

The saucer arrived and Mary's puts her mashed potatoes on the saucer."

"How about some gravy on those potatoes?" she asks, shaking her head yes.

Mary tells me how she worked to put her children through private schools. She worked hard. And although she was turning 77 — she truly looked in her 50s — she tells me she's been happy and successful because of her faith in God.

"You can do anything with faith. And, don't let anyone tell you you can't reach your goals," she asserted.

"You can become anything you want ... you have to believe."

The chicken Caesar salad I ordered finally arrived as Mary was leaving.

"I will pray for you, Cynthia," she tells me smiling, taking my hand in hers again. "And I could use some prayers, too," she winked.

"Happy birthday, Mary," I said as I got up to hug her (her meal was already paid for or else I would have bought her a birthday dinner).

"Oh, thank you, honey," she said looking at the paper with my contact information on it.

"I'm good with cell phones," she chuckled. Don't be surprised if I call you sometime."

"Oh, I'd like that, Mary. Please do."

"And remember, Cynthia," she smiled. "Footprints in the sand. Sometimes God carries us when we need it."

After Mary left, I seemed to have lost my appetite, or maybe I was too full from eating her mashed potatoes. I didn't know Mary for but 30 minutes, but I missed her already.