As I set out, I decided it would be more efficient if I went to Einsteins first. As embarrassing as this sounds, I have never ordered at Einsteins before. This would be my first time. I really didn't think that the system would be that hard. I walked into the store and no one was in line. I walked right up to the pay center to place the order. Before I was helped, I noticed an older man coming in behind me. He had placed his order at the beginning part of the counter. I skipped that step, I had realized. He came on up to where I was standing. As he approached, so did the Einstein employee behind the counter. She asked that I go back and place my order at the beginning of the line. The man standing behind me kindly said to the woman "there is no need for that. She can go ahead and place her order before me...I can wait." I apologized to both and went ahead and placed my order. After I was through I told the employee that she can go ahead and help him first though. He asked that it not happen that way and to complete my order first. As she went back to get my bagel order I struck up some small talk with the man that was behind me. I would guess him to be in his mid 70s. Within this short conversation I had learned that he had been coming to Einsteins for just a cup of coffee and a bagel every morning since his wife had passed away 3 years prior. We made some more small talk and then it came time for me to pay for my bagels. The total came to be a little over ten dollars. As I pulled out my wallet with the cash the mother had given me, the man place his hand on my hand and asked the cashier to go ahead and ring his up on my order and that he would pay. I told the man that he didn't have to do something like that. I told him that I really did appreciate the gesture. He told the employee to put it on his card. As he handed her his card he said to me, "just take that ten dollars and put it for someone elses' dinner or shopping sometime." He smiled and said, "it will make their day."
So of course I teared up and told him thank you. I asked him if he would like company in eating his bagel and he said that normally he would love the company, but that he needed to get on back home to feed his cat. We said our goodyes as we parted, never exchanging names or anything. All I know is that he drives a new, white, Acadia.
Thinking that my day couldn't be off to a better start, I began my way to the grocery store. When I got there I parked about right in the middle of the parking lot. About 40 yards away from where I parked was a man that I would guess his late 50s. He had a huge smile on his face and he was singing loud enough so that I could hear him. He was singing "You are my sunshine". Smiling from ear to ear I got out of the car. As I turned towards the store he yelled to me from across the parking lot. He said "Hey, that is a Special Olympics T-Shirt." Sure enough I had on my Volunteer T-Shirt with the Special Olympics Logo on the back. I turned to him and walked over to him to continue our conversation. This is how the conversation continued:
Me: "Yeah, it is. I volunteer with the Special Olympics every once in a while."
Man: "That is so neat. I love to swim there and I always do really good and sometimes even get a gold medal. Do you know Angie?"
Me: "No I am not sure that I know Angie."
Man: "That's okay. What is your name?"
Me: "I'm Samantha. What is yours?"
Man: "My name is Robert. I have a German name. It is so nice to meet you Samantha. I will tell Angie that I met you."
I smiled and told him that it was nice to meet him as well and started on inside to shop. About halfway through the doors I realized that I had forgotten the coupon that the mother had given me. I turned back to the car. As I made my way there, I passed Robert again. He stopped me with an astonished look on his face. He said: "Oh no! You don't like the store." I said, "Oh I like your store just fine. I forgot my coupon in the car, but I will be back to shop." "Phew" he said, "when people like our store and it is nice and clean, they buy things. When they buy things that means that I get to get money." I smiled again, with more tears in my eyes, and said "well I am just going to grab my coupon and go on inside to shop so that you are taken care of." He smiled and went back to putting the carts together.
As I was shopping, you couldn't get the smile off of my face. I am sure that I looked like I had something up my sleeve the whole time I was in the store. I wanted to tell the whole world what had just happened to me in a matter of an hour. I wanted to fall to my knees in excitement and joy as a witness to something so beautiful. A witness to love, grace, and service.
Giving a balance of hearts that are full. The fullness of hearts that are able to be passed down from person to person. Whether that fullness comes from physically doing something for someone else or from saying the right words/giving your smile at just the right time to someone else. The fullness gives them the comfort to continue the chain of love, grace, and service.
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