Daniel

 This was Matthew's little dog when he was small. He carried it everywhere. It had a secret zipper in it where he carefully guarded whatever change he had. It is tattered and torn, yet very well loved. As humans I believe we often feel that way - pulled in many directions, weary of the demands that are put upon us, but at the end of the day as we sink into contentment, we always feel well loved. 

Daniel, the young man I wrote about in this post could have very well been in the category of overwhelmed. He was being spread in many directions and gave up a life he had created to help his mother. Like Matt's little dog, he was well loved.

Last night as I got to work and walked outside, the dark and the cold greeted me like an unwanted intruder. I made my way over to Walmart for some chicken noodle soup (a kind request from my sick husband). The parking lot was in its usual disarray of cars and people, children darting in and out...and after my 11 hour shift my patience was wearing thin. All I wanted to do was go home, trade in this uniform in for some flannel pajamas, my fireplace and my new puppy. It was not happening on the schedule I had allotted. Why on earth do they not stock the crackers next to the soup! As I sifted in and out of the aisles my head was pounding with the headache that had taken up an unwanted residency with me for the day. Finally in a last jaunt I found myself at the checkout counter. Only one person in front of me ....one person feeding a small brigade. As the groceries flowed down the belt, the woman in front of me began playing that ever popular game, what can I really live without. First the Perry pajamas and Buzz Lightyear underwear lost their place to the finish line, then came the formula in lieu of three dozen eggs. Then two boxes of cereal were cast aside in favor of the formula making a reappearance. Behind the counter a sweet soft-spoken cashier named Daniel did his part in making her process easier. Finally with one last scan and three carts brimming she and her son set way back to their car. When my turn had arrived to purchase my soup, Daniel was gracious and polite. He noticed my name badge and began to ask about my job. He told me he had owned his own business in Southern Illinois. He ran an after-school wrestling program for at risk boys. He funded it entirely on his own. He didn't want anyone to think he was looking for handouts. I mentioned that must have been difficult. Naw Daniel remarked, my pay came when 10 of the 12 boys who had been near failure came back to their second semester and had all A's. I could feel the tears begin to pool inside of my eyes. Why are you here, I asked.... I left it all, I have been here a month. My mother is sick, and she needs me. And so there he was standing right in front of me at Walmart, this incredible young man who had lived and then gave up his dream without question for his sick mother. I looked at him and softly said, you are a good man Daniel, a very good man. I began to make my way to the car, but before the bitter cold could grab me again, I felt a hand graze across my shoulder.... You forgot one of your bags, Daniel said as he put it in my cart. I caught his eye again and said Thank you. I believe last night I was touched by the hand of God, right there in Walmart.