I have some of my moments of greatest clarity at grocery stores. I was struck by another grocery store conversation I had last week. I stopped at my friendly neighborhood Safeway to get Valentine goodies. Another teacher was in front of me at check out, and we visited a bit as we unloaded our carts. The checker asked if we were teachers and if we were getting party supplies, to which we answered yes. The first teacher said that she was keeping it simple, and said the kids didn't need much, and what she had was plenty. Sort of firm and no-nonsense about it. The checker was 6'5" if he was an inch, and looked about 30-32 years old. He was a high-school football star kind of guy, all-American, clean cut, really big and tough. He says, so sweetly, "I was thinkin' I would surprise my little girl and bring cupcakes to her room today. What do you think?" And teacher number one says, "Well I'd put them in a baggy and send them home. They don't need anymore junk." He was quiet and then softly said, "oh". She finished her transaction and bustled out.
I put my rather eclectic mix of presents for my 4th grade team, LeighAnn, the kids 'junk', my sweetie, and cards on the belt. Our big ol' football player/dad/checker rang up my stuff, and politely told me my total. As I was swiping my card I looked him in the eye and said, "If you bring cupcakes to my room, we would all say, 'thank you' to your daughter, and she would choose a friend to help her pass them out. We would eat them, and we would love them." I swear I thought he had a tear in his eye. He smiled a crooked smile and said, "thanks."
My moment of clarity happened on the trip from the checker to my car. The words on a saying posted at school came to mind: "We judge ourselves by our intent, while we judge others on their actions. Seek first to understand." Isn't that the truth? The poor guy wanted to make his little girl happy, and one teacher saw a mountain of sugar the kids don't need, frosting in places we have to wipe, expensive, store-bought, red-dye, fat-laden monstrosities, a fair amount of which would land in the garbage after the frosting had been licked off the top.
Oh, when these things happen-Please might I remember the intent of a daddy who just wanted to show his love for his baby-girl.
