One
afternoon I was at the grocery store with a friend, we wanted to grab a few
items and get out of there. The less contact with people, the better. Customers
were being mindful of remaining six feet apart yet shopping during a pandemic
can still be uncomfortable.
My friend
and I made it to the checkout line just in time to…stand in a long line. My
friend and I chatted, through face masks and all, to pass the time. Suddenly a
song played over the stores’ speaker system, I burst into song, singing off key
and muffled. The woman behind me chuckled, then joined in.
Shoulder
swaying began, along with bobs of the head. The woman behind me was an
encourager, she fueled my antics with her laughter. Our time in line seemed to
progress quickly. As I neared the cashier, I leaned in and whispered, “add her
item to my bill.”
The woman
behind me tried to stop her saying, “no, no, that’s mine.”
I tried to
smile at her, but my mask blocked that. Instead, I said, “let me get that for
you.”
The woman
expressed her gratitude and told me that her husband passed away a few months
ago. She enjoyed the laughs and my gesture of paying for her items. I learned
that her husband was a pastor, and how she had been lately to find comfort.
My new
friend said, “I wish I could hug you. You’re going to make me cry.”
I felt my eyes
becoming glassy as I said, “Let me get out of here before we’re both crying.”
We share one
last laugh and went our separate ways. As I walked to my car a thought occurred
to me, I never asked her name. Sometimes that’s just the way things
happen.
That day at
the grocery story was a random act of kindness that was not planned.
February 17th
is celebrated as Random Act of Kindness Day. Do something kind for someone. It
doesn’t have to cost money - post positive
messages on a friend’s social media, help a neighbor shovel snow, or write a
list of things you love about a friend or family member and give it to them.
Wishing you
a day filled with kindness.
No comments:
Post a Comment