It would break my heart, if they weren't...

Oh God, it came down like a ton of bricks today.

It happens that way, doesn't it ?

Unexpected, an uneasy energy swirling about the snowy sky, and then it zeros in on you.

There, in the supermarket, at the checkout.

I'm in a hurry, I rushed my son through the store, we were on a tight schedule. I'm practically throwing my groceries up on the conveyor belt, let's go, let's go.

I hardly noticed the elderly man in front of me (other than he was taking ENTIRELY too long), and then I hear him ask the cashier, in a voice so soft, "Do you have a boyfriend?".

WE both size him up, as women do, to see if he's crossing a line or is he just making polite conversation, mercifully it was the latter.

"Yes , I do, and I have a son" the cashier answers, her voice softening to match his.

Encouraged and happy to not be pushed away, this slightly rumpled man with a three day growth of beard, (has his wife passed, or is she ill and he's taking care of her?) says "Make sure he treats you right, we are defined by who we choose to keep in close company."

He continues to talk about his 5 children , they are all far away from their native Pittsburgh, transplants to Denver and Colorado Springs and California.

The cashier and I , in total unison, engage this lonely human being. We chat, but mostly we listen to him.

Time is suspended.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think ,this may be his only contact with people today.

My son can't figure out what happened to the mother who was in such a frenzied race moments ago, and uses the time to inspect the candy display and plot a purchase.

Moving through the conversation, I was impressed by this young woman behind the register, so sweet and patient with this elderly adult and so in tune with the situation.

It was a perfect act of kindness.

As I walked away, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

I thought of the times before we moved my mom to Pittsburgh to spend her final years. She was so fiercely independent, insisting on doing it all herself , until her diabetic feet betrayed her.

When she was in the supermarket back home, were they nice to her? When she slowed down the line to have a meandering chat about her children, were they kind and patient ?

God, I hope so.

...