This Isn't About A Gucci Bag

I have been here for three years now. Well, actually more than three years. Around the corner from my home and on a somewhat busy of my city in which I live, there is a shoe maker- repair man. His shop is very tiny and obscure. In fact, if you blink, even on this busy road, you will indeed miss his little shop. It is about the size of a U. S. Master Bedroom Closet. (His little shop). The shoe maker comes everyday but Sundays, and closes everyday from 12:30-1:30 in the afternoon for lunch. He is there from about 8-9 am and is there until 7-8 pm. One Day a week he is not there.
I have had various shoes needing repair and he has always helped me and did a really good job.  I have noticed her repairs all kinds of leather goods, and including leather bags. So, I had a Gucci Bag that I loved. I mean, it goes with everything I have. This Gucci bag has white leather straps, (Braided of course) and metal grommets to hold the straps on the bag. So, when my Gucci bag broke, I took it to the repair man, thinking he can take out the grommet, put the strap down, put the same grommet back on to the bag, and boom done, I thought I would pay him a little extra because it is a Gucci bag, and I would be on my way. He said he would fix it and I left. I had a few more things to give him besides the bag, and so I gave him the things. He said to come back in an hour from that time and it would be done. I had things to do, and returned. To surprise. He only charged me for the shoes and the few things I gave him and not the Gucci bag. I thought that was odd, and I came home with all my repaired things in tow. I opened the Gucci bag first and I wanted to cry. My grommet was gone and a huge ugly grommet was there in place. I cried. I sobbed. It was so ugly, I could not believe what happened to my Gucci Bag. Oh, how can I use it now??? It is such abig grommet, and smashed and ugly. I was so annoyed. And I could never replace my Gucci Bag. So, I did not ever say anything to repair man, I did continue to bring my things to him. And will continue to. But not have him fix any of my bags. (hehe)
 Whenever I pass the man's shop, I wave at him, tell him hello. He is about as old as my grandpa. His shop smells of leather and shoe cleaners and shoe repair glues. It is rather welcoming. A while ago I saw him while I was looking for flowers. He was walking to his shop, carrying a simple grocery bag with some food in it for the day. This meant he would not have time to go home to eat that day, possibly, and brought food for later. The man is tall like my grandpa, very thin, with white hair and blue eyes. He just looks like a sweet kind elderly man. I told my husband, fiancé at the time, how sweet the man looked and he said how here in Turkey, shoe repair shops are dying and people just buy shoes now and not have these men make them nor do they have shoes repaired anymore. I had expressed the same is like that in USA and in fact, in Utah where I am orgianlly from, I was looking for a repair man for my shoes and couldn't find one. I remeber my mom would go to a good one in town but htat was years ago, which now seems like ages ago. 
   We concluded that we would have him do simple things and we would pay him more because we think that he really doesn't have a lot of money and with his age, he obviously still has to work, we will try to give him work to help him out. 
We got married on July 4th and July 5th we were out doing errands for our Reception. I kept thinking how I wanted to give the Shoe Maker Man some of the "Ceremony Sweets" that we were passing out to friends and neighbors. I just felt like I had to give him some. I got a bag and put the sweets in it. I put six caramel flavored and six cherry flavored sweets that I made. 
We had to pass by the shop and The Husband said you can go in and give it to him. I said, Ok. I went in his shop and he said Hello. I said in Turkish that I got married the other day and that I would like for him to have some Ceremony Sweets that I had made and I hope he has a very wonderful day. I handed it to him and I had never seen a sweeter and more heart felt Thankfulness in all my life. The man got really big tears in his eyes, and said "For me?" I said, "For you and your family". He said "Thank you" through the tears steaming down his face. I said, "I see you everytime I walk by here and my heart goes to you and your family. Thank you for making my shoes so good and for making them last a long time" He said "I have no words but Many Thank you".
And with that, I realized. That moment was worth a thousand Gucci Bags. This is what true goodness, kindness and humblness is all about. The Long Rock and I are seeking out shoes to be cleaned or repaired. Just to keep his shop going. But it isn't about a Gucci Bag.