Motherhood. Let’s have real talk. It can be a hundred and ninety-five percent exhausting. It can feel, at times, like Groundhog’s Day. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Especially in the newborn stage. Because the days start to run together. The nights are, at times, painfully patchy. And I think, even though life is so beautiful when you get to be a mama, it can feel, sometimes, like you’re alone.
And then come the angels.
She was tired. The mama of four. The mama who has construction going on. The mama who was multi-tasking grabbing her sundries including beef jerky, gum, and Gatorade at the gas station. All four in tow. A sweet stranger took a moment to say, “Mama. You are doing it right.” And that felt like a feather in her cap for the day.
Because sometimes that’s all it takes. One kind word from a stranger. One mention from a person watching from the outside in. One person who sees how much love you have put into these humans. And makes you pause to remember that you are completely kicking ass. Even though you feel like you might be the one getting kicked.
And then. She went to pay.
“He already paid for it.”
Wow. Goodness.
She ran to thank him. He said, “No thanks is necessary, but you’re welcome. Your job is priceless.”
Fifty dollars. From a stranger. A person she had never laid her eyes on. And he didn’t even want thanks.
He threw a stone in the water and created a ripple. A ripple of goodness. Of kindness. Of a generous act that her kids got to witness.
There is so much news these days. So many stories. And a good portion of it is sad or bad or confusing. But this story… this is the stuff of goodness. The proof of all the human kindness that is out there. The stuff of angels.
To the man who bought a mama’s items. To the man who took the time to tell her she has great children. And that she is doing her life well. You parted with 50 dollars and made a priceless impact.
Now, she wants to pay it forward. Likely, so will the next person. And the next. Today she had a smile on her face and a little more pep in her step. A little change from the every day of lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Thank you, gas station guy, for helping us all feel closer to angels today. You, sir, are the thing we call goodness.