I was in Hobby Lobby on Saturday to return an item, and was a bit frustrated to have to stand in a longer-than-usual customer service line. I still had errands to do and was feeling a bit rushed and impatient. Taking my own very good advice :), I paused to take a deep breath, look around, and see what I might see through the different eyes of different thinking.
There was a young woman standing behind me in line, so I smiled, and commented on the beautiful garden trellis she was carrying. It was a lovely light blue metal with intricate scrolling inside, and had a bell at the top. “You must be making a beautiful garden with that,” I said to her, and she replied quietly and with a tinge of sadness in her voice that it was to put at her mother’s gravesite.
“My mom died a year ago today,” she went on, “and my sister and my children are all coming to the cemetery for a little memory service. We haven’t gotten a headstone yet, and I thought this would look nice. My mom loved blue.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she paused, then said, “I didn’t mean to burden you with that story, and I certainly didn’t mean to start crying – it all still seems so unreal that she is gone.”
I was tearing up, too, because she was just so raw with her emotions. I was able to tell her how sorry I was for her loss, and that I hoped she and her family had some wonderful memories of their loved one that they could share today, laugh and cry over, and ease their pain. She smiled, saying that was the whole reason for their get-together.
It was my turn up at the counter, so I made my return, pocketed my money, and, as she was starting her transaction, I touched her hand and said, “Blessings on your day today. I just feel sure that the spirit of love you are sharing today will be healing.” She replied, “Thank you for your kindness,” and, as I turned to leave out the door, I am quite certain I heard the sweet tinkling of that bell. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings!” (It’s a Wonderful Life)
Blessings abound, and I went on my way a little more thoughtfully, and a lot more thankfully, knowing full well that I was indeed blessed.
PS… AND I when I got home, I called my mom to tell her I loved her!