I Believe in Angels

Last summer, I took my kids to WalMart for a few necessities.  They were ages 2 and 4 at the time, so I had my hands full on a very warm day.  I don't like going to WalMart, I don't like the energy or the atmosphere there, but sometimes you have to go.

My son decided to kick up the grand-daddy of all tantrums, the purple-faced, gaping mouth, "PickMeUpPutMeDownPickMeUpWAAAAAAA".  I got several dirty looks and someone spontaneously said to me, "Carry the kid, lady!  Show him some love."

I finally plunked him in the cart and went to the toothpaste aisle.  I was trying to remain calm and keep my cool.  He was screaming and thrashing and going nuts.  I was trying to talk calmly to him, and get my necessities quickly to get out of there.  Someone from the next aisle over shouted, "Shut that F*#^ing kid up!"

As I scurried from toothpaste to diapers, my son was choking from screaming so hard.  I was getting glares and judgment from all corners, people saying things that really don't help.  All the while, my daughter was doing her best to just keep up and stay out of the way.  She did such a good job.

At check out, of course, there were only 4 of the 40 registers open and long lines.  I got in line and started again trying to soothe this insane beast that had burst from my child.  The woman in line in front of me actually asked me how I could possibly treat my child this way if I really loved him.  She said that I needed to take him out of the store because he was really messing with her personal energy (Lady, you are shopping at WalMart...my kid is not what is messing with your energy).  She questioned why I was at the store in the first place if my child was being this way (I was getting diapers...why do you think I'm at the store?).  She said that if I really loved my children, I wouldn't make them wait in line while they were clearly so upset (but she didn't offer me HER place in line).

By the time I paid for my wares, my daughter was in complete shut-down, my son was still going full-force, and my soul felt utterly crushed.  I was in wide-eyed calm out-of-body mode.

After I got my kids buckled into their carseats, an elderly woman with soft makeup and a purple blouse walked up to me from nowhere.  She didn't say anything, and just wrapped me up in a big hug.  Before I  knew what was happening, I was sobbing on her shoulder.  She asked if she could be of any help, and I blubbered out the entire story to her.

This beautiful woman passed no judgment, she simply listened and empathized.  She leaned down and talked to my daughter through the window a little bit, telling her she was being so well behaved and so patient.  Then she talked across my daughter to my son and assured him that things were okay, Mommy loves him, and he could go home now.  My son suddenly stopped screaming and just beheld her with wide (if somewhat tantrum-swollen) eyes.

I will forever believe in angels.  This beautiful soul appeared exactly when I needed her, and when we were done talking she disappeared into the store.  I pray that I may be such a blessing to others.

Angels are real; and sometimes they have fluffy white hair, soft makeup and a pale purple blouse.

I deserve BEAUTY in my life.