Happy Mardi Gras, all! I am happy to share a story of a random good deed, all too rare.
Today we went to the bakery. The line had a few people ahead of us, and my son kept saying, "we're next!" As the person in front of us was called up, the lady leaving with trays of cookies walked over and dangled a giant cookie, wrapped in pretty plastic, in front of my son's face. It seemed like a cruel joke to dangle a cookie in front of a kid, but I played along, and smiled and said something like, "isn't that a fine looking cookie." It hadn't occurred to me that the lady was OFFERING it to my son. Just like that. Just because. I was speechless. Wouldn't you be? Everyone in the shop was smiling as we giggled and I thanked the stranger over and over. And admitted, too, that it was heaps larger than what I'd have bought my son. I'm still smiling when I think of it. People don't DO that kind of thing anymore. They (we) are buried in their phones, their worries, themselves. We don't even see the people around us, let alone do something kind for them. I guess that's why the few good deeds shine even brighter in the face of that.
As you can see, the cookie was as big as my son's head. And freaking delicious (I ate the arms, and no, it wasn't vegan, so sue me).
You hear stories of people paying for the toll behind them, or the coffee behind them. They seem more like urban legends, than true tales. Money is short for everyone, and a few dollars extra always seems like too much. My son basically had that cookie for lunch - he loved it. But I loved it even more. It positively made my day. Wherever you are, kind lady, I'm thanking you one more time. And for all the rest of us, myself included, it's a reminder that the little things are big things. This was a big cookie, but the kindness was immeasurable. You gave me hope today. I really, really appreciate it.
