I spent the beautiful morning cleaning house and doing chores, putting away the clothes of my children. The pants and socks and underwear and shirts that just keep getting bigger and bigger… There is simply no stopping them. Just like the babies, the ones that are now kids.
I rinsed the same colorful, plastic dishes with cut marks on them, that I have probably put in the dishwasher a million times. In the cabinet I saw sippy cups, that are rarely used these days.
I picked up tiny little toys and put back big toys where they belong. I swept up itty bitty Legos and dust bunnies. I was generous enough to take the Legos out before I threw the junk into the trash can.
Even though my children were at school I thought about them a ton. I spent so much time in the boys’ room and closet, tidying, doing what a mother does for her little sons. As I organized their things I laughed a little to myself, wondering why I was even taking the time. But even if it only stayed that way for a bit, it was a good thing.
In my little girl’s room, I cleaned up her play kitchen and her dollies. I loaded her grocery cart with so much pretend food. As I was placing the cheese and peppers and butter and waffles into it, I suddenly remembered a photo of me as a little girl, pushing my own, similar cart lots of years ago. What is it about little girls and pretend shopping? Just gearing up for the real thing, I guess.
Later that afternoon I pushed an actual cart through the aisles and aisles of food, list in hand. I placed so many of the same things in my cart that I do every week. The items I know they love because I love them.
In the checkout line the cashier and I chatted and she told me about how a lady earlier that day did not have enough money to pay for her 10 or so items and none of her credit cards would work. I started to get sad and think about how if I had been behind her I would have paid for her things and JUST in that same moment the cashier told me that the lady behind her did just THAT. My heart smiled and I decided I would tell this story to my babies, who will become grown-ups too someday. Grown-ups who I hope would offer to do just the same…
I’m supposed to take a pic of my THREE kids on the third of each month but it has YET to happen. Here are two of them on the 3rd… Little G was still on a Saturday “date” with just his Daddy when I took this. If you would like to see his killer dimple in action from just a couple of days ago, you can refer to this post.
I too would have paid for that lady. I am so emotional all the time, for many things, but especially because our children are growing so, so very quickly. Tonight, my four year old told me didn’t want to go to ‘anniversary’ when he grows up and he doesn’t want to get married because he wants to be with me forever. I mean, my HEART!
I would have paid for her stuff too.
Thinking of how my kids are growing brings tears to my eyes. It hurts, but I’m so proud of them too. It’s bittersweet.
They just grow so quickly, don’t they?
I’m glad the lady had her things paid for. I would have done the same, and it’s nice to see that you and your readers would too 🙂
Gorgeous pic! You’re such a good photographer.
I’ve been the lady whose card wouldn’t go through, unexpectedly, and there aren’t words for that sinking, stomach-twisting feeling. I’m glad that someone was kind enough to step in for this lady, and I’m glad that you are raising your children to be thoughtful and caring.
I think that’s a fantastic story to tell your kids. The world would be a much better place if we could all just be a little nicer to each other.
I would have done the same thing. I think it is nice to give ourselves credit every once in awhile for all of the mothering things we do that usually go unnoticed.
I feel the same, that I would have given that woman the money I had to give and hope to raise my children to be that person in line as well.
Yes! I hope to raise my minis to be that woman. I think it is such a gift to do this for others and the best way to teach our own minis to model how we would want them to act. I love the lead up too, the tidying, the dishes, and real life to a pure act of kindness within the “real thing.”
I liked this Elaine… it was a peak into your day and you sounded so calm and at peace. And I do the same things for my boys… I wonder if they ever notice?! Ha!
It’s heart-warming to know there are people out there willing at the drop of a hat to help others when they need it. I would have to.
It is all those little things us Mamas do that will mean so much in the long run.
So happy the groceries were paid for.
I love the musing tone of this post, and love how it ended with the groceries. Though once upon a time, I was that person with the cards not working, and I might have been even more ashamed to have someone else pay. But grateful. But ashamed. What a hard thing.
My husband paid for a man in line last week – I’m glad there are people in he world who will do things like that.
You made me all tear-y from beginning to end.
What a lovely, reflective day. Thank you for sharing it with us!
I love this moment, that the person did, indeed, pay the kindness forward, and that you grasped the moment to tell your children.
(I hope that my kids will be that person, too.)
xo
I just love coming here and seeing a little bit of your heart out there for us to see. You are so lovely 🙂
I’m with Angela. Your heart is so big. And I’m going to tell this story to my kiddos, too. It’s all about paying it forward.
I miss you!
If we could all be so kind as that stranger was to pay for that woman’s groceries…can you imagine the possibilities?! It’s amazing what the heart wants to do naturally to help people. It is usually the head filled with too much that doesn’t always let our heart have a turn at speaking out.
Loved this post, it so perfectly describes the day.