Pages

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

A follow-up to my post about the young woman who hit my car after paying for her gas...

For those of you who don't follow me on facebook, this happened the other day:

After I pumped gas a few minutes ago, I went in to pay. A young woman and her two children were ahead of me. Kids were being kids and rattling her. As she went to pay, she realized she forgot her wallet at home. She started crying obviously having reached the end of her proverbial rope. I paid for her gas. She thanked me and left. As she was backing out, she backed into my car. Poor thing. Luckily all she did was break my license plate holder.

I paid for her gas because it seemed the right thing to do at the time.  I've been there.  I've had days where the whole world just seems wrong.  She was frazzled and I felt for her. When she realized that I was the one whose car she hit, she started shaking and crying harder.  I did my best to reassure her that all was good and gave her a what I thought she needed the most, a hug.  We exchanged numbers at her request and then we went on our merry way.

Cut to this morning.  I received a phone call on my way to work.  I almost didn't answer it as I didn't recognize the number.  It was her.  It was a short two minute phone call.  She told me that her husband had left her that day because they had found out the day before their baby was sick.  She was out getting groceries and filling up the car for the sitter because in her words "I was going to leave so the baby could be in foster care where he could get the love and medical care he deserves".  She implied suicide.  Then she tells me that because of that small event at the gas station, she realized she would be ok, that there are truly people out there who will help her if she needs it, that she'll never truly be alone.  She called me an angel.  She asked for me to pray for her baby's health, then she thanked me again for being her very own miracle and wished me a good day.

I have to admit to having a tough time processing this.  Everyone wants to do good, be good, be an inspiration.  But to have such evidence thrust in your face like this?  It's rather difficult to process through.  I didn't pay for her gas that day for any kind of recognition or to be thought of any differently.  It was simply what I wanted it to be: a random act of kindness.  

I KNOW I'm a good person.  But I've never particularly thought of myself as inspiring and I don't necessarily know that I think differently now.  The only people I've ever thought I've inspired has been my children.  But someone is alive today because of me.  It's heavy and amazing all at the same time.

Never doubt your worth, never doubt your light, never doubt what you mean to someone, even those you may not know about.  And if you get the chance? Send up a prayer for her baby.

 - Dawny Wendy