I don't know what to title this... A Needed Lesson Learned.

I was at Target earlier today. I was buying potato chips because they are a good way to get sodium without eating salt.

My doctor had called with less than stellar blood test results from yesterday. Serum sodium too low and going lower. So we adjusted some drugs and he strongly recommended that I repeat the test next week. (He's a suggester, not an order-er, which I like.) I was bummed. 

So, I'm in line at Target with my 3 bags of chips and the guy in front of me is checking out and looks at me and says, "I can pay for those." I say, "Why?"  He says, "I'll pay for that. You don't have very much." 

 Inside my head I'm thinking frantically. Does he think I look poor--pitiful--what?  He's young, black, can he afford this?

This goes back and forth a couple of times. At some point he says, "My mama helped me out a little this morning and I want to help you."

 Suddenly I understand that no one can do a kindness unless someone else will accept it. And that for this young man to do this good thing, I must accept it.   So I smile at him and say, "Thank you."

He's happy. The clerk, who had been watching this ping ponging between us, is happy. The guy behind me in line is happy. And I am thrilled. Exhilarated. Spirits lifted.

He walks me to my car. He has stayed home from work today to help his mother fix food for the Thanksgiving dinner. His mama is one of ten and there will be a bunch of folks there. He says, "it's a lot of cooking." And then, "What about you?"

So I tell him about all my family coming and we go on about how great occasions like that are. His name is Torn.

Torn and I give each other a great warm hug and say goodbye.

I was ecstatic. Teary. All that stuff. You know.

 I've been thinking about how we learn lessons in life and what they are worth to us.

I have been fighting change, to need to not only accept help, but to be willing to ask for it. Just little every day things that I used to do with ease. No big deals, just change. 

I know I'll forget, revert to 'I can do it' mode, but today I am grateful for the man at Target and that I had sense enough, this time, to say thank you and accept his gift. 

(I wish I had realized this six years ago. Aggie, I'm talking to you.)

He will have no idea what a wonderful gift he gave me. I think we mostly don't know how important  our actions and words can  be to others.
I think of Our Town. If we really saw our world...