As usual, Tate and I made our weekly trip to the grocery store to maintain our little family for the week but for some reason today something struck me about doing this simple task. While I, in perfect mom mode, am preoccupied by looking at my list, running through meal scenarios in my mind and dodging people who have that "I want to stop and talk to you about your baby for 15 minutes" look in their eye, my son is doing the exact opposite. He is delighting in each and every person around him. Whether he's at the grocery store, the mall, the park, Starbucks or any place that is crawling with people his take is the same: to talk to, smile at and engage each person who passes by. They could be old, young, rich, poor, black, white, healthy or sick and he doesn't care because he sees their simplest and yet most profound feature...human. God created each person alike but most of us adults at times have reverted to discrimination, avoidance or annoyance when it comes to others. Without knowing it, my 16-month-old has challenged me to see the world through his eyes and love each person exactly the same. Well, my son, challenge accepted.
Oh and one more quick side note since it pertains to grocery stores and people, I'm reminded of something that happened back when I was pregnant. As I was leaving the grocery one day I instantly caught sight of three different homeless people waiting by the exit to ask for some type of handout. Well, I was tired, hungry and my feet hurt so I quickly skirted around them and avoided all eye contact. However as I was passing by, a nice gentleman stopped to talk to the homeless man on my left and as he handed him some money he did two things that I'll never forget....first, he asked the man what his name was and then second, he referred to him by that first name and said "Don't worry, God's got you....He's truly got you." It's so true and yet so easy to forget. In the midst of this heart broken and crazy city God knows that man by his name and has him in His hands. I'm no better than that man and I'm called to see him for who he really is...someone loved by God.
Ok now I'm off to continue my day with hopefully one third of the joy of this precious boy who is so new to the world but has already taught me so much.
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