Brighten Your Day

I went into Walmart to grab three things: Fruit Loops, eggs and waffles. Healthy, I know. This woman was asking people for something and my goal was to bypass, get my things and go. She asked me to stop. I figured she was just asking for money and I already decided that I was going to politely let her know that I didn't have any cash on me. I never carry cash. Typically I don't mind giving a few bucks if I have it and what they do with it is their business. Wrong. I listened to her. She had groceries in her cart and asked for help to buy food for her family. She proceeded to tell me that she turned her daughter in for dope, her 2-month-old grand baby was born addicted to crack and she has 6 grandchildren to take care of. I really felt for her. She was sobbing. See, I know stories like this to be FACT from working in an inner-city school and my husband working in a hospital. Babies are unfortunately born addicted all the time & responsibility of raising grandbabies does fall on the grandparents. She asked me if I would help her buy groceries.

I looked at what I had in my hands compared to what she had. She had shopped smart and had healthy food: bananas, bell peppers, meat, pancakes, etc. Practical things you would make meals with and feed children. I told her yes, go get diapers for the baby and meet me at the front. She sobbed, praised God and said hallelujah to the cashiers,etc. Yesterday, I turned 30, had my healthy family by my side, ate tons of crawfish and blew $20 at the casino for the heck of it. Well, I checked my humanity today. This woman has food to put on her table and even if she wasn't telling the truth, I don't even care in the least. She's human, I'm human and today she helped me realize a few things and I hope that I helped her. She won't have to worry for at least a little while about food. I didn't expect this today but apparently I was called to it and was right where I needed to be. (she wouldn't smile because she didn't have teeth but she said she hoped her heart showed through how happy she was)