February 12, 2024
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:32 NRSV
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
I pushed my shopping cart over to the Walmart employee who was overseeing the cashiers. “I want to report something about an employee,” I said. She looked taken aback, until I went on to say, “Elizabeth, at register 5, was very kind to me.” Her shocked look turned into a smile, and she replied, “I’ll let the manager know.”
Have you ever pulled a pack of blueberries out of the refrigerator, only to have the lid open and berries all over the kitchen floor? That happens to me with some regularity. Saturday morning, I did some grocery shopping at Walmart, including a package of blueberries.
I got lucky and found a checkout line without a line and began to unload the groceries. I grabbed the carton of blueberries, the lid popped open, and half the blueberries fell to the floor, rolling in every direction. In an attempt to pick them up, I inadvertently squished some underfoot. It would take forever for me to pick them all up, and if I missed any they’d be a slipping hazard.
I turned to the cashier and confessed what I’d done. “No problem,” said the cashier. She grabbed a broom and dustpan, and before I could offer to help her, she said, “put the carton aside and get a new one for me to ring up while I clean this up.” When the berries had been captured, and she got back to the register, I said, “I’m sorry. Thank you for your help.” She smiled and said, “those lids don’t always close the whole way.”
Her gracious kindness, her quickness to help, her friendly words and smile are still lingering in my memory. I noted her name, thanked her for her help, and told her she made my day. I hope that the manager shared the compliment and noted it on her record.
Being kind was the only thing without a price on it at Walmart that morning. Thanks to Elizabeth I got a great deal. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 