The last year has been tough for everyone. The older I get the more I find myself thinking well, there goes the last of the good ones - men AND women. Is this how it is as we get older, yearning more and more for compassion, honesty, and loyalty?
I want my children, grandchildren, and their children to know civility, to be no respecter of persons, showing no partiality. I want them to know most people are doing the best they know how to do. Not all people, but most. I want them to extend mercy and grace, the same mercy and grace they will need throughout their lives.
Today, a person who had nothing to gain - no good publicity, no monetary gain - shared a story with me. I was doing the whole self-checkout at the grocery store. I had a few coupons. The associate came over to enter them. I know it comes as a surprise, but I started chatting with them, and them with me. Oh, coupons, what would we do without them, they tell me. Yes, I reply, especially the free salad. We laugh. They tell me they are doing something, secretly. What, I ask. Well, there's a young mother who works here and she's raising her children alone, and she works another job (it is not unusual to work two and three jobs). The associate continues...” I save my free items, buy one get one free items, and I leave them in a bag for her, with her name on it in the back. It's so much fun. For Christmas I'm making a chimney out of a large box, because how can Santa get in if there is no chimney? And I'm filling up another box with things for the children. And mom too of course. The only other person who knows is a friend of the moms. She will help me pull this off and sneak everything into her home.” Again, they tell me what fun they are having, getting everything together for this family.
Gah, my mushy heart. I nearly weep in the store. There ARE good people, everywhere, if we take the time to stop, look, listen.
I get the name of the associate and hug them. I tell them they will be blessed. And then I get the heck out of dodge before I begin to blubber.
God is good.
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