Today I woke up with a bad case of “I want to play hooky.”
Ongoing work stress is taking its toll and I once again steeled myself for the
day over a cup of tea that, while strong, was not the Captain America level
super serum that my day required. But I am a responsible adult and despite my
misgivings about the day ahead, I moved forward with my morning. Ever onward.
My five year old’s Spidey senses must have been tingling as
he laid curled up on top of his comforter. He wandered into the bathroom while
I was brushing my teeth and wrapped his arms around my legs in a tight hug. I
stopped brushing and gave him a Good Morning hug and kiss. His rumpled hair and
sleepy eyes are a good cure for whatever ails you.
As I resumed my preparations for work, he
uncharacteristically sat down on the floor and leaned his head against my leg.
Just when I started to worry that something might be wrong, my adoring love bug
stealthily started tickling my bare ankles. I looked down to find his impish
grin and couldn’t help but laugh. I’m sure we must have been a sight – me hopping
around the bathroom, while he followed my feet like a frisky feline.
Once I was sufficiently tickled, groomed and ready for work,
the tone shifted. Within moments, he went from “One more kiss, Mommy!” to sobs
of “I don’t want Mommy to go to work!”
Me neither, kid. Me neither. My husband scooped him up and tried to
console him, but ultimately the image of my son waving goodbye while his red
face streamed with tears tugged at my heart enough that I drove away battling
tears of my own.
Side note: I have been a working mom for the last three
years and goodbyes like this are rare. We both know that he will have a fun day
at school and before we know it, we’ll be making each other giggle again. But it
is still hard to drive away from your child who is crying because he wants nothing
more or less than his mommy.
I decided I needed a treat before work and made a stop at
the family-run Bagel Shack near my house. While I was waiting for my bagel
sandwich, I noticed six young men in military fatigues come in. They were friendly,
talkative and in overall good spirits. As they chatted amongst themselves and
looked at the menu board, an older woman approached the counter. She quietly
handed her credit card to the young cashier, and gestured that she would like
to pay for the young men’s order. The girl behind the counter nodded and the
woman slipped away to an outside table where she resumed drinking her coffee.
Another four soldiers came in and joined their comrades, and I hoped that the
quiet benefactor was able to handle the additions.
“Rebecca, your order is ready!” was called before I had the
chance to see any of the men place their order or realize what had occurred. I
still wonder what the reaction was and if the cashier kept the identity of the
woman a secret or if she tipped her hand.
What I do know is that I witnessed a tremendous act of kindness on this otherwise rocky morning. This sort of gesture was bound to be appreciated by the young men, and I’m sure that the Quiet Woman felt a sort of altruistic glow. The under-appreciated impact of these gestures of goodwill is how they affect the witnesses. In recognizing the Pay It Forward principle of a linear chain reaction of good deeds, we minimize the more burst-like impact our choices have. From the cashier to myself and other diners, that customer’s decision reminded us of the kindness that is still present in our cynical world of minimal eye contact. It grounded me in a way that I cannot quite describe, but I know that if not for the stress of work and the tears of my son, I would not have made the detour where I stumbled upon this inspiring act of humanity. And for that, I am thankful.
