The other day was one of those days where the moment my feet hit the ground, everything went wrong. Aside from my kids being up a few times the night before and the mommyhood exhaustion that has become my daily companion, a call with my attorney topped the morning with irritation. Who knew protecting one’s children involved so much red tape, hoops to jump through and money?

I mean, it is ridiculous… really. But, after the call, armed with options that I will begin the process of implementing, I find out that there is a major issue with a campaign I am working on. Now, as a blogger, there is nothing more frustrating than thinking something is understood and finding out that is it was not. Going back to people about anything is stressful to me and I try to avoid it by doing things right the first time. So my personal irritation was at a high.

From a Mom Whose Kids Are Grown

The day just floundered between intolerable and ‘when is bedtime’ as I went about my day, exhaustion always the constant reminder that I need to take care of me more. I got my girls from the bus stop and loaded them in the car for their weekly tumbling class.

I got another call about work while the girls were in class and added another stressful situation to the resume of the day. Aware that I am the only adult in my children’s lives that actually parent and protect them, I pushed aside the desire for an extra large margarita with a chaser of wine and took a deep breath.

Gathering my chattery, now hungry group from class, I decided to take my meager bank account and my little smiles with legs to dinner. I chose a restaurant with kids eat free night, Denny’s, so that I could at least save a little on the meal.

We slid into a booth and I immediately started the ‘Shh, other people are trying to eat!’ and ‘No, you may not eat the entire shaker of salt.’ out to dinner routine that I know so well. They made me laugh, made me smile and made me feel like this was all I should focus on. Even on bad days. But, I admit, I was counting the minutes to bedtime so I could curl up and sleep this day away.

As we were preparing to leave I pulled out my wallet to tell the waitress we needed our check. Just then, the hostess came over and handed me a piece of paper. She told me that my meal was taken care of by the woman who was sitting behind us. Truth be told, I had not sent the woman. I was too engrossed in my own table of little ones.

I sat stunned as the information sunk in and then read the note. Tears sprang to my eyes, my hand to my heart, my head not sure what was happening as I read. ‘I can’t believe she did that!’ was all I could say.

What is so incredibly amazing about this random act of amazing kindness that this woman bestowed on my girls and I is that my girls SAW it! All three immediately started talking about how we could repay this kindness to other people. They wanted me to buy the meals of the people still in the restaurant, they wanted me to post on Facebook that we needed to find the woman to say Thank You… they wanted to reenact what they just witnessed!

THAT gift. THAT action. THAT selflessness that affected my kids and the way they see amazing acts is the most touching gift the woman who ended the note, ‘From a mom whose kids are grown…’ could have given us.

Because on a day when I wanted to run away and hide from the problems I think are so big in my life, she showed me in one simple act that time moves on, people are kind and my faith in humanity is worth having.

How do you ever say Thank You for that?

When was the last time you did something amazing for someone else… or they did something for you? I would love to hear all about it!

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