I was at the end of a long day, with my one-and-a-half-year-old having a meltdown in the cart. I got in a line with just one person ahead of me, an elderly woman paying for each item separately with a handful of change. A part of me, the tired, hurried part, felt frustrated by the inconvenience.
But then I watched the young employee. He gently helped her count her change, taking it from her shaking hands. He repeatedly said, “Yes, ma’am” as he moved two lines over to get her a reusable bag, then carefully repackaged her items. He never huffed, gruffed, or rolled his eyes. He was nothing but patient and kind.
As I watched him, I saw that my daughter, Eloise, was watching too. She stood beside the woman, mesmerized. I realized I hadn’t been inconvenienced at all. My daughter was witnessing kindness and patience, being taught a valuable lesson by a complete stranger. It was a lesson I needed to learn again, too.
When it was my turn, the employee, Ishmael, thanked me for my patience. I thanked him for the lesson he had just given us. My timeline for getting home was off, but I didn’t care. I pushed my cart through the store, found the manager, and told her how much his kindness and patience meant to me.
We left that day with a cart full of items, but more importantly, with a heart full of gratitude for an invaluable lesson. If you’re ever in the Glendale Target, please give Ishmael a smile and a nod. The world could use more people like him.
