Tough Nut to Crack

Earlier this week I was in Walgreens to get a couple of things. I don't remember what I was getting, but it doesn't really matter...it wasn't much.

At any rate, as I'm walking up to the checkout counter, I noticed a middle-school-aged boy buying candy, and he reminded me of the kids when they used to ride their bikes down to Walgreens to get candy or whatever their saved pennies could buy.

As I walked toward the cashier, I heard her tell the boy how much he owed, and then I heard him say, "I'll put the white chocolate Reese's cups back." He didn't have the extra 65¢ he needed to buy his small haul of sweets.

Without hesitation and without really even thinking, I reacted quickly and said to the cashier, "I'll take care of it." The young boy looked up at me and said, "Are you sure?" and I said, "Absolutely."

Ha! What I didn't realize is that the Walgreens staff member was going to charge me for ALL of his candy...that's what she thought I meant, which was totally fine and all the better for making part of this kid's day.

The boy looked at me again and asked, "Are you sure? You don't have to do that." I told him, "Absolutely I'm sure. I feel like buying your candy for you today. I feel good. It's beautiful outside, and why not?! It's a great day for paying for your treats. My kids used to come down here all the time and do just what you're doing."

After I paid for our stuff, the boy turned to me and held out the dollar bills that he had wadded up in his hand. I said, "Oh, no way. You keep that for another day." Again, he said, "Are you sure? Thank you so much. Really?" I said, "Yes. Really! Go and enjoy."

That sweet child just keep looking back at me as he walked out the sliding doors of the drugstore.

I didn't set out to do a "random act of kindness" that day. It just popped into my head. I know that I smile and greet people and try to always show kindness...but I was delighted, in a non-arrogant or self-aggrandizing way, that I'd been overcome with the impulse to "just do it."

It's the impulse part that's important. Intentionality is, of course, great and acts as a guide for kindness among many other things, but, perhaps, it's the sudden, overwhelming sense of "I'm going to do this right now" types of kindness that become an extension of putting kindness into practice.

I hope that's the case, and I prayerfully ask that I continue to be overwhelmed with the desire to be kind to others...in any way that's timely and appropriate... I still can't get the new Walgreens pharmacist assistant to smile at me, but I haven't given up. He's a tough nut to crack, though. Fingers-crossed.