Surprising Kindness

Sometimes I get surprised by the kindness of people. For example this morning......

My husband Lucas and I went to the grocery after mass. I needed few things only so I got 2 packages of lumpia wrapper, 2 packages of green mongo, a bundle of lakatan banana, one pack of calamansi, one piece of ginger and three cans of spam. It was about ten in the morning but few check out counters were opened at the grocery and the queues were long. I was supposed to go to the senior priority lane but the the line over there was equally long and their carts were mostly filled to the brim. Then I saw a shorter line in between lanes, and quickly followed it. Alas the last cart at that shorter lane though had a sign that say “closed”. I smiled at the last person in line, took her “closed” sign and put it on my cart. I said I have only few items. She smiled back at me and said nothing.
But alas the counter girl on that short lane that was closing up would not agree to it. She said her last customer was the girl in front of me. That she was closing already besides she had already rejected other customers previously and they would be angry at her. So, okay okay, I was moving out. When I was leaving, some people on the other side of the long lane, advised me to go to the senior lane, but I said it was worse there. I did not even realized that those who were queueing on that long lane were sympathetic with me. Many said that the counter lady should have taken consideration since I had few items only, besides being a senior at that. I said it was okay, I will just look for another line. Then a young lady on that particular lane opened her line to let me cut in. I said “ Thank you, it’s all right. The people at the back will get angry.” But the people at her back which were mostly younger family men encouraged me to cut in. They all gave way to me. I hesitated but they all urged me to go ahead of them, including some other ladies in Muslim garbs agreed to let me in. I was extremely embarrassed but took their kind gesture. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.

And to think, I have always been the kind of person, who would insist on following the rules and toeing the line. I am so much embarrassed that people has shown me kindness instead. Thank you.

Thank you Lord for the lesson I learn today.