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Just For You :)

Entering Walmart, a young man greeted me and my family with a cart.  I did not see a badge, but thanked him and began our shopping.  Thinking of dinner items for the week, late night snacks, and toiletries, we wondered throughout the store to our usual aisles.  Finally, after enough hunger pains, and homework to do, we left the store an hour later.

Leaving out the same door we came through, we were approached by a young lady selling candy from a bag.  I informed her that I didn't carry cash, and apologized.  However, while walking to the car, all I could think about was what were they using the money for, how old were they, and what's going on?  Either way, they seemed to be in need of help.  After the car was packed, and children were strapped in, we drove off.  While I was driving, I was calculating our expenses, and other ways our funds were going to be spent.  Before long, I found myself heading to the ATM.  

Are they working together?  How much should I take out?  Should I give $10 dollars...but then that's $5 for each.  Withdrawing $20, I headed back to Walmart to look for the young lady.  Back into the parking lot, I look for familiar figures in the dark.  Amazingly, walking in front of my vehicle was the young lady, who then holds her hand out.  Stopping the car, I rolled the passenger window down, she tells me that she's starving, and she's not looking for cash, but would take food.  Once she's finished, I reach out to her, and tell her, "I got this out the ATM just for you!"  She thanked me, and wearily walked on.  

For the first time, in a long time, I was able to help someone.  Perhaps I help people out in small ways and not know it.  For example, I HATED basic training, but unbeknownst to me I still had a smile on my face (everyday I was wailing inside).  All the while, my "smile" got me in all sorts of trouble, including ridiculous physical punishment, and on the last day one of my buddies said that he would not have been able to pull through, had it not been for my smile!  My first thought, was that I was glad my pain caused him some sort of pleasure.  Twenty dollars may not have been much, but today I felt really good about it, and wanted to sob all over my steering wheel knowing how it feels to ask total strangers for help.  Not only knowing how she felt, but her look is forever ingrained within my mind.  

During the whole ordeal, my kids asked a barrage of questions, in which my answers and the lesson will hopefully forever be embedded in their memory, in hopes they will continuously pay it forward.

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