One Sunday afternoon a couple weeks ago, my husband took me to McDonalds. [yes… we do eat McDonalds]. It was just the night before that I had heard that my grandpa was put on hospice, which was quite unexpected. That morning through church I kept thinking about him, how sad my grandma would be to see him so sick, how tired my momma was trying to take care of both of them and deal with paper work, medication, etc. I was overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions and sadness. I sorta cried a lot that day.
So, any way. After church, we decided to swing by Micky D’s grab a quick meal and then go see my grandparents. I sat down at a table and waited while Davy took care of ordering, waiting on the food and bringing the napkins, salt, ketchup and filling drinks.
While I waited, my heart was heavy, and I mindlessly began people watching. I noticed an older couple, maybe late 70’s-80’s, who were just finishing their meal. It made me smile to see him taking care of her by clearing the tray, refilling the drinks in preparation to leave. I was tearful as the sweetness of it made me say another little prayer thanking God for my time with my Davy, and asking to please give us many more years together and have many more McDonald’s dates.
They were ready to go, but the wife was having trouble standing up out of the chair on her own. So the husband set down the drinks, and took her hands in his to help pull her up. My heart sank a little seeing that neither of them had the strength to get her out of the chair. He pulled up again, but her face winced and she let go wringing her hands as if it pained her knobby joints. They looked frustrated.
I couldn’t bare to see them struggling like that. But I didn’t know what I could do as I quietly observed from across the dinning room.
Just then, a smiling woman of about 50-60 yrs entered the scene. She noticed the frustration from another part of the restaurant and looked like she knew exactly what to do. They shared a couple words and then without a moments hesitation, she reached down in a bear-hug under the wife’s arms and up she came! The smile on Wife’s face made my own face light up. Her gratitude was instant and the woman smiled back, and Wife hugged her as they stood there in McDonald’s dinning room.
To see her immense joy at simply being able to ‘stand’ gave me joy. To see the kindness given so freely to the couple made me well up to tears. I was so blessed to see the love shared in that moment.
The women went on up to order her food, and the husband picked up their drinks and held the door for his wife, and they began a very slow trek to their car.
The wife was only a couple steps from the door, walking down the ramp when she looked back into to dinning room right at a little boy of about 3 or 4 yrs. Her face, creased with years of joy and sorrow, lit up again with a brilliant smile that made me smile again. She lifted her hand in a giddy little wave and that little boy waved back, excitedly. His momma that sat across from him smiled too, and I’m sure the boy was smiling (but his back was to me). They waived a few moments and then the wife hobbled on down the ramp to meet up with her husband who was patiently waiting for her.
The kindness was contagious. The joy that extended from the kindness spread. It filled my little whimpering heart to overflowing. My heart smiled. I thanked God for allowing me to witness that joy and kindness that day, on a day when my heart was heavy with pangs of this fallen world.
We did see my grandparents after. Grandpa was sleeping the whole time, and Grandma was weary, but we talked and laughed and it was sweet.
The next morning my Grandpa passed away. But death lost it’s sting with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Knowing my Grandpa trusted his life to Christ, reassures me that we will see him again in eternal after-life, when we also trust our life to Christ.
I’d love to hear about kindness that you’ve witnessed lately! Please share in a comment below.
