Grace Offered

I read this and had to make a place on my blog for it.  Those magic moments that take command without asking permission; you just know what the right thing is to do. 


 It was just another harried Wednesday afternoon trip to the grocery store.
My husband was off teaching young men to fly. My daughters were going about
their daily activities knowing I would return to them at the appointed
time, bearing, among other things, their favorite fruit snacks, frozen
pizza, and all the little extras that never had to be written down on a
grocery list.
 My grocery list, by the way, was in my 16-month-old daughter's mouth, and I
was lamenting the fact that the next four aisles of needed items would pass
by while extracting the last of my list from my daughters mouth, when I
nearly ran over an old man. This man clearly had no appreciation for the
fact that I had 45 minutes left to finish the grocery shopping, pick up my
4-year old from tumbling class, and get to school where my 12-year-old and
her car pool mates would be waiting.
  I felt men didn't belong in a grocery store, and this old guy was no
exception. He stood in front of the soap selection staring blankly, as if
he'd never had to choose a bar of soap in his life. I was ready to bark an
order at him when l realized there was a tear on his face. Instantly, this
grocery isle roadblock transformed into a human.

   "Can I help you find something?" I asked.
He hesitated, then told me he was looking for soap.

   "Any one in particular?" I continued.
    "Well, I'm trying to find my wife's brand of soap."
I started to loan him my cell phone to call her when he said,

"She died a year ago, and I just want to smell her again."
~***~
  Can you imagine the gift of his grieving?  How could anyone be callous to
such a call to console?  Wouldn't it stop you in the self centered whirlwind
of accomplishing self appointed task and errands? I was stopped in my own
busyness.  As a softening and compelling desire to comfort and make his
missing moments easier, and I wasn't even there!  I suddenly conducted my
own mental inventory of all those I love and yes, miss. And for all the host
of reasons for the distance, I pause and thank God I can still remedy my
ache with a phone call, or a letter, even a trip to visit should the longing
persist.  I both honor his loss as a sacred experience, and a personal
lesson for my own awareness to my abundance; inviting my gratitude to
surface.  

For the moment to touch, to see and yes, to smell  are precious
treasures, that reinforce, and validate those cherished companions gathered
unto us all as hearts comfort.   And doing so, realize that the blessing of
company is by far the kindest grace love offers.