Mel's World

I was just at Wal-Mart running through trying to get groceries with 2 babies.  I do it at least once a week and it is never easy but it usually goes well.  Today I had a buggy full and Dj got choked a bit (nothing serious) and it caused him to vomit and vomit and vomit!  It was EVERYWHERE!  Poor guy started crying and was completely soaked.  I cleaned him up the best I could and headed to the check-out.  Not all of my groceries had been bought but the trip was definitely over at that point.  I was carrying DJ on my shoulder, Bree in the front, and loads of groceries in the back.  I made it to the front to check out and  a Wal-Mart employee met me at the registers, took my buggy and found me an empty line.  She proceeded to put all of my groceries on the belt and then loaded the bags back in for me, not letting me lift a finger.  She said for me to just take care of my sweet babies.

Her name was Rita.  While she took care of me and my babies, she talked to Bree so sweetly.  Bree instantly warmed up to her and was smiling.  She told me she remembered what it was like to have little ones.  She said hers were grown already.  I asked her how many children she had and she said “one daughter, well really two…I lost my son when he was 17 hours old”.  The expression on her face changed immediately.  It had to be at least 30 years ago when Rita lost her son but the pain was obviously still so fresh.  I told her I was sorry and that I couldn’t imagine how painful that would be.  She said, “you don’t ever want to imagine”.  She put the last bag in my buggy and walked around to see DJ’s face over my shoulder and told me what a beautiful boy I had.  I thanked and hugged her.  I cried all the way home thinking about how she was so giving to me and my babies and how much she had helped me.  Helping me with the groceries was huge but she made me count my blessings and hold onto my babies a little tighter.  I was thinking of what her young face must have looked like all those years ago and what a beautiful woman she was both inside and out.

Rita may be much older than me but the only thing that mattered to her is that we are both mothers, one girl and one boy.  She could have passed judgements as many of us do (me included) about many things I’m sure.  But I was a kindred spirit to her and I felt it.  I wanna be more open to other women, mothers especially.  Motherhood is the most wonderful thing I believe any woman can experience but at times we all need a helping hand.  Women seem to be so hard on one another.  Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.  I wanna be like Rita.