Last week as I was thinking about the subject of being encouraged, I remembered a time when my oldest daughter was just 6 months old and I was encouraged by a complete stranger.
It was Grocery Store Day. Perhaps one of the most daunting tasks to a new mom: you have to go, but the thought of strolling the aisles with an unpredictable infant is a scarier prospect than walking a back alley alone at night. There I was, shopping list in hand, chubby infant in cart. I had finally made it to the dairy section (the last stop) when Piper decided the confines of the cart no longer suited her. Given the choice between letting her scream for all of Ingles to hear or carry her, I opted to lug her while I hurriedly grabbed my final items and then had to navigate a full cart to the checkout with one hand.
Then, of course, I reach the checkout line where my wallet is probably buried somewhere beneath the produce and juggle a squirmy baby as I search for my discount card, pay and sign the receipt all with one hand. I’m pretty sure I was probably sweating by the time I left the store, able to cajole Piper into riding in the cart one last time so we could get to the car in one piece. On my way out, a lady stopped me and asked how old my daughter was. I told her and was prepared for something like, “Wow, she sure likes to eat!” or “What are you feeding her??” (comments I was used to with a small child who resembled a blonde haired sumo-wrestler).
Instead, she said this: “I just wanted to tell you that you’re doing a terrific job. It isn’t easy, being a new mom, but you’re doing just fine.”
I may have started crying right there in the parking lot, I don’t remember. I thanked her and she left, perhaps never knowing how much her kind words meant to an exhausted, frazzled young mother just trying to survive the grocery store. They must have meant a lot, because I still remember them 4 years later.
So, my challenge to you (and myself) this week is to find someone to encourage. Maybe you know a new mom (or a not-so-new mom) and you can empathize and let them know that they’re doing just fine. Or maybe you have a friend who is struggling, or you just see a stranger who could use a few kind words. Couldn’t we all use a few of those?
Great message! I hope everyday that more people will express positive messages to strangers. I try to make a point to take the time to talk to and show interest in others wherever I go. I’ve always done this because I believe too many people are caught up in themselves. Maybe not because they are selfish people, but because all of us at times feel overwhelmed and too busy to take the time to converse with others. Just a simple smile or “hello” can sometimes suffice, but wouldn’t it be nice to be that person that brightens someones day with just a few encouraging words. Think too of the positive message it sends our children when we show interest and compassion for others.
Hopefully your “message” Paula will be heard by others. What a difference it would make in the world if more people took the extra seconds to be kind to a stranger.
Thanks for the encouraging words.