We were the second people in line and had been standing there quite awhile when I noticed why.
The woman in front of us in line who was old and very frail looking, buying only a big water jug,
was slowly counting her payment out in all change.
She had an oxygen cannula strung under her double masks.
She had hair that looked to either be falling out, or just starting to grow back in.
Shopping alone, she held shakily to her cart. I could tell she was feeling the pressure to hurry.
My daughter, Tessa, and I were happy to wait, however.
We looked around and cheerfully talked to one another.
After quite a while longer, when the woman was done,
she struggled to get her purse settled.
She looked up at me apologetically, and I smiled:
Though, sadly, my mask hid it so she could not see.
A minute later when we got to the cashier, with the woman still within ear shot,
he rolled his eyes and kind of groaned,
and then he said these cutting words loudly to me:
“Promise me you will work on teaching your daughters that when they grow up they don’t need to spend 40 minutes counting out change.”
My heart felt like it stopped.
Her steps did for a second, too;
And that is when I looked right into that cashiers eyes and I told HIM a few things.
“Sir, what I plan on teaching my daughters are grace and compassion,
even if they sometimes inconvenience me.
I plan to teach them patience instead of rudeness.
I was going to pay you today with my card,
but now it’s settled, and it’s time for YOUR LESSON,”
And that is the story of why I lightened my change purse because
I, too, paid IN and TO BE all kinds of change.
That cashier did not say another word except to ask if I’d like my receipt.
I told him he could keep that, too, and then I gathered my things and left the store with him still counting thinking that I bet he wished he hadn’t tried to teach me.
This world is full of enough rushing, honking, judging, and sighing.
Way too many All About Me’s.
I think often about the things I want to teach my girls, and none of them are from his rude book of education.
Compassion, and patience are just two of these them.
This world is shouting so loudly right now trying to tell our fellow man how, who, and what to be;
But our children are watching every move we make and each interaction.
They want to know if we practice what we preach.
At home I have spoken so much about loving each other,
and what it means to respect someone’s dignity.
I will not let my children catch me doing something I’d discipline them for.
That goes for my actions, and my speech.
That goes for bullying, mockery, and rudeness.
That cashier may not have wanted the change I gave,
But that change in the eyes of my daughter who was watching meant hope for a kind of change that is worth way more than a few pennies to me.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
Mom Outnumbered
Hi! My name is Kerri Green; Wife to Justin, and mother to four highly entertaining daughters -Alena, Chloe, Tessa, and Paige. I am an artist, a writer, a daycare provider, a lover of people, a believer that there is humor and beauty in all things, and the author of Mom Outnumbered; a blog about real family life, and my observations of it. My goal is to make people laugh, to be there for them when they cry, and most importantly, to let them know that they are not at all alone in this up and down world. I live with my family in Sebastopol California, and I am opening the window into our life. So welcome! Come in. Sit down. Just please don’t mind the mysterious wet spots.
