Around the holidays I was in line to check out with my Christmas shopping in a large retail store.

There were two women (Mom and grandma) with an infant in front of me. They had purchased some Christmas things and were ringing up four large cans of baby formula. The mom was purchasing with a card for a special program that helps women and children afford things like formula. The number wasn’t working for the program and I badly wanted to help but something kept me frozen, I didn’t want to embarrass the mom and I was too shy. After she had checked out, I purchased the formula and ran out into the parking lot to try to catch them but I was too late. I returned the formula right away and beat myself up for missing the opportunity.

A couple days ago I was in the exact same large retail store picking up a few things for my kids and I noticed the woman behind me had four large cans of baby formula. She looked like all of us moms of young children look at times… Exhausted, worn-out, and a little bit like if she wasn’t so dehydrated she’d be crying. She had her coupons in hand for the formula.

After I checked out, I moved away a couple feet but I hung around, trying to work up the nerve and hoping she wouldn’t be offended. I couldn’t believe this opportunity had come again for me to help another mom and I so badly wanted to help since with young children myself, it feels like others are always helping me. I wanted to pay it forward as well since I remember what it’s like to have a newborn.

There was an issue with the coupons ringing up and she was feeling badly for holding up the line. I walked over and told her I would love to pay for her formula today and asked if that would be okay with her.

She was like “are you serious?? That would be amazing!”

She proceeds to tell me that she has twins at home and how things have been so hard and she really needed a win today. We hugged and she asked me what had caused me to walk over and I let her know I’ve been where she’s at and I know how hard it is. I told her I wanted to pay it forward for all those who have helped me when I was having a hard time. She told me she will pay it forward as well in the future.

I said goodbye and started crying before I even got to my car because of how grateful I was that this opportunity had come again and that I was able to help another mom having a rough time