Kind stranger - #16

No, I didn't forget about the whole "blogging about 38 people who aren't me" business, I've just been a little busy :)
Friday morning I went to the old Wal-Mart (20 minutes from my house, the new Wal-Mart is only 8) because I wanted to get some fabric to make jammies and dinosaurs for the kids for Christmas.  I was in a huge hurry and I needed to get that fabric right then!  I knew I wouldn't have time to come back later.  Imagine my excitement when I found the PERFECT fabric for Chloe!  It was so cute and age-appropriate (not always easy these days) and green!  But the only bolt I could find of the stuff didn't have enough fabric on it.  Tragedy!  So I found some other (less perfect) fabric as well as some fabric for Graeme and Kai and I got in the cutting line.  While causually looking around, I spotted another bolt of the perfect fabric in another customer's cart!  I couldn't believe it!  My hopes soaring, I asked her how much she was buying off the bolt.  My heart dropped when she told me that she was taking all of it.  I know it seems silly, but it really was the PERFECT fabric for Chloe.

Anyway, we chatted a little and she left.

A few minutes later, as the workers were cutting my fabric she appeared again out of nowhere with a brand new bolt of the perfect fabric in her hand!  Instead of heading straight to the checkout stand she had taken a few minutes of her time to search for that fabric for me, a total stranger!  I was so happy I almost cried!  I did manage to say "Thank you!" then she smiled and left.

Again, I know it seems silly, but the simple kindness of that particular stranger made my whole day.  I think sometimes I get caught up in the idea that to serve others involves a tremendous amount of time and effort when in fact meaningful service is often quick and spontaneous.  I hope and pray that she felt as happy as I did and that I will be more aware of these little service opportunities in the future!