A little rain may fall...

Today I have been humbled. It is raining here in my little town. Not much, but enough to soak the skin of a little old lady walking her cart down the street. I was sitting in my van leaving the parking lot of the convenience store where I had just purchased a coffee and a large bottle of water and truth be told a package of streusel cakes that I love and shouldn't eat. I was thinking how things are so crummy right now with not having enough money to pay the car payment and not being able to buy groceries since I have spent nearly everything I have on school supplies for all four children (and college supplies are freaking expensive). But my kids need the stuff so there it is. My irritation with traffic and the rain is generally making me a cranky person not to mention that my cycle just started and my head is still sore from the massive headache I had last night. Hormones. Gotta love it! Anyway, as I sit there cursing the weather and my crappy luck, I look out my windshield and there she is: a tiny little woman pushing a little cart ahead of her. She has her hood up on her sweatshirt but it is obvious this frail woman is going to get soaked. She walks by me without looking up and keeps heading down the sidewalk. I smiled a little. Not sure what I was thinking, but smiled. At that moment, a place opened up in traffic and I pulled out passing the lady on the sidewalk. My impulse was to drive on and get to work. I was coming in early so I could leave early and get Manders ready to leave tomorrow. But something made me turn around and roll down my window. I hollered to her. "Ma'am. Would you like a ride?" She didn't hear me at first. I had to yell a little louder. She walked over to the window and I hopped out to put her cart in my van. She didn't think it would fit. It did. She asked if I knew her. I told her I did not. She was headed to the food pantry because she had to feed her grandkids that were staying with her. Not sure where the mom is and I didn't ask. She was tiny and old. Teeth bad, yellow-gray hair. But clean and friendly. And when I looked in her eyes, I could see her spirit shining through. Her blue eyes sparkled at me when she thanked me for the ride. And as I dropped her off and took her cart out of the van and walked her to the door, I felt a little different about my situation. This tiny woman has not given up. She goes on even though things aren't the way she hoped they would be. She has no car or money. But she has a roof over her head and grandbabies that love her. The food pantry helps her to feed them but she doesn't need much. And her eyes...they had so much life! She was humble and sweet and I just pray that she will continue to feel the love of those grandbabies and that there will always be a stranger to pick her up and take her where she needs to go. With peace to her and yours. LOVE...