April 24, 2024 Every time I think of this interaction, I wish I handled it better. I was on vacation, I was walking through an amusement park wearing a t-shirt with a taco on the front along with the text, “It’s ok to fall apart sometimes. Tacos fall apart all the time, and we still love them.” A young park employee at a cart selling popcorn and drinks stopped me. “Can I give you a free Gatorade? I love your shirt, and I needed to hear that today,” he said. I accepted the free drink, thanked him for his kindness and went on my merry way to the next ride. Later, it occurred to me that I never asked that young man if he was ok. He basically told me he was falling apart, and I thanked him for a beverage and walked away. That was years ago, and I still think about it occasionally, and I still wish I had handled it better. This time, I was waiting in line to order a sub. Instead of my taco shirt, I had on a hooded sweatshirt with text on the back reading, “Dear person behind me, You matter. You are enough. The world is a better place because you’re in it,” followed by a few hearts and “– The person in front of you.” From behind I hear, “I love your hoodie.” I turned around to thank the lady. She told me she needed that message at that moment. As she paid for her lunch order, I said, “Are you ok? I just thought I’d check.” She cried. She told me she was, in fact, ok, and she thanked me for asking and for caring. I cried, too. We were complete strangers crying together at the cash register at Subway. It was a beautiful moment that I can see only as a gift from God. God made sure that woman received a message she needed. He gave us both a beautiful moment of connection. He gave me a moment to do better than I had in the past and the grace to recognize it. He reminded me how important it is to let others know I care about them and their wellbeing. I’m really grateful God gave me a chance to handle it better. |
|||||
|
|||||||||
