All Good News

I was in a small Hallmark shop looking for a card when it happened. There were two other people in the store: the clerk at the register and a woman further down the aisle. All of a sudden, I was overwhelmed by a voice and a feeling throughout my being, which said, Hug her.

The instinct became more frequent and insistent until I walked over to the woman and said, "I know this will sound strange, but do you need a hug?"

Her face immediately crumpled as she nodded her head and leaned into me. I'm not sure how long we stood there with our arms wrapped around one another. Once her tears had subsided enough for her to speak, she told me it was the one year anniversary of her teen daughter's passing.