Tuesday, April 22, 2014

the gift of dark chocolate & a few kind words.


Today I dropped my husband off at the airport for a long business trip.
 
Sidenote* I want to quickly mention--purely because I am amazed by this man--that my husband never EVER complains and always works so hard for our growing family. Whether that means plane delays in airports, 4:30am calls with Europe, or a serious lack of sleep from late nights/early mornings...he comes home with a smile on his face, a kiss or two for his wife and a positive attitude about life and the days ahead. 
 
That being said, I know I shouldn't have been, but after dropping him off I was feeling bummed and a little absorbed in my own self-pity. I selfishly wanted my husband with me (we're freakishly attached--probably to an unhealthy level), had to pee for the fourth time in a hour and was feeling like a beached whale behind the wheel of my car (30 weeks pregnant is not a pretty site--I don't care what anyone says)
 
I hesitantly decided to stop by the mall to run a few errands I had been procrastinating. Last thing I enjoy doing these days is shopping for cute new clothes when I feel like a waddling blob. But I picked up a few things I had been needing and as I was checking out of the store, the darling little sales associate at the front counter started chatting up a storm with me. Asking when the baby is due and what the gender was...and then going on and on about how "petite" and darling I am for a 30-week pregnant lady (Not true BTW--but super sweet of her nonetheless). I thanked her graciously and couldn't help but smile a bit as I walked out of the store. Maybe she felt bad for the flushed, sweaty pregnant lady, maybe she was just sincerely that nice...whatever it was, I was truly grateful for her taking the time to chat with me. Sometimes I forget how powerful some encouraging sweet words from a stranger can be.
 
On my way out of the mall, I had to swing by See's Candy for some chocolate (I wish I could say this a pregnant thing, but it's totally just a normal "mall stop" for me, pregnant or not) Don't judge.
 
I walked in and ordered a few of my favorite chocolates. I chatted briefly with the lady behind the counter and then went to pay. I pulled a few dollars out of my pocket and asked how much. She smiled and responded, "Nothing."
 
Slightly thrown off by this--I asked, "Are you sure?!" She nodded a yes, smiled and told me to have a great day.
 
Okay so...I realize it was only a few dark chocolate truffles (super delicious dark chocolate truffles at that)...not a huge deal, not something that would be covered as a human interest piece on the evening news, but it was such a big deal to me.
 
Again, I'm not sure if it was my large pregnant self that they just felt sorry for or whether they were just inspired by a higher power to make a random girls day. Whatever it was, I was reminded of how self-absorbed I had been and how powerful a small, kind action can be.
 
This is something I need to do better on.
 
I'm reminded of one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes, "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try and cheer somebody else up."
 
When we focus on others, we stop obsessing over our own issues and channel that energy in a more positive way. I can and will do better at this, and I'm promising this now--to the universe and to anyone who may be reading, that I am going to focus on others rather than myself and try my hardest to find small ways, each and every day, to brighten someone else's day.
 
 
....and now I'm going to go enjoy a dark chocolate truffle.
 
 


1 comment:

  1. I love this post. You are such an amazing writer and the sweetest little human that I know. Love you so much,

    Robert

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