Prior to going to the grocery store that day, I had lunch with two of my best friends. We enjoyed a nice meal while visiting and talking about whatever popped out on the plate of conversation. Having time to meet girlfriends for lunch has been a rare luxury in the past. I was in a good mood. So, on this soggy day, I did not feel the rush to get on my way. I was content to watch the rain fall as others braved the showers to rush in and out of their cars.
While the woman and I waited she proceeded to tell me how she'd already gotten wet once today while frantically putting up the roof on her convertible. Apparently, the car got wet before she actually accomplished the task. Mental note to self, "rain can be a threat and a hazard for a convertible owner."
Having had bad days myself, I understand the frustrations that comes from running into an IT blocking our day. We start out the day driving almost mechanically doing what we do, checking our list, accomplishing tasks as if our feet were on gliders greased into smooth action. Checking our watches the time ticks on and we smile because we are accomplishing our tasks according to plan and in record time. Then, out of nowhere IT drops into our day like a boulder dropped in front of us. IT has sent our well-oiled machine screeching to an abrupt halt. We are suddenly and unexpectedly thrown off schedule like a derailed train. Apparently, on this day, the pouring rain was this woman's IT.
As I listened to the woman talk, I observed a young mother come in from the rain with a girl of about 10 years and four little ones perhaps under the ages of 3 or 4 years. It intrigued me to watch as she dealt with the IT of her mini-nursery under these damp conditions. While the girl, I assumed to be the mom's younger sister, waited with the children, the young woman pushed two rain soaked shopping carts with the big plastic Tonka-like cabs into the store's basket area where several of us were now waiting out the rain. The over sized carts allow the little children to "steer" their way through the market aisles while their moms shop. I noticed that the children were happy at the prospect of playing in these big toys.
The young mother had a roll of paper towels secured from store workers, and was wiping down the wet cars while four little sets of eyes watched and waited to be loaded into the toy vehicles. One lone little boy in the group had already claimed the red and yellow colored car with a roof for his carriage. However, when the girl, I took to be his aunt, suggested his legs might be too long for it and that he should ride in the roofless blue cart, tears began to streak his sweet brown face and cries of disappointment rang out from his mouth.
The young mother had already placed her two tiny twin girls in the red and yellow cab seats much to the little boy's dismay. His mom, continuing to wipe out the taller blue cart, calmly informed her son that IT was nothing to cry about and IT was most uncalled for. However, as she completed the drying of the taller blue car, she reasoned to the other girl, that the little girls would be up higher and closer to her if they rode in the taller blue cart. So, as the aunt lifted the twins into the blue cart, I saw the little boy was now smiling. I believe his mom realized that the baby sisters would not know the difference or care in which toy car they rode. So, the mother allowed her little son the privilege of "driving" what he thought to be the better of the two vehicles. It was then I realized the little boy's IT had been resolved and he was quickly pacified in his little world once again.
The rain finally let up a bit, so the woman and I decided we could make a break for our cars with minimal dampness incurred on ourselves. I wished her well for the remainder of her day and hurried off to my car under my small umbrella. As I awkwardly held the umbrella while loading wet grocery bags into my trunk, I didn't mind getting a little wet. I also realized that my days of juggling obligations of a job with children's schedules, outside activities and family demands were slowing down. My days of worrying over the potential ITS that tend to block my paths are numbered. Unscheduled time afforded to me by my resent retirement was already paying off. One more worry, one more IT to mar a perfectly good day was not going to be the threat it was in the past.
As a point of clarification and assurance, I am well aware of the occasional IT or two that will block my way as my days progress. However, hopefully, the next time a big IT stands blocking the road of my day, or yours, perhaps the young mother's words calmly spoken to her weeping child will come to mind, "IT is nothing to cry about and most uncalled for."
Hear the calmly spoken words of our Lord Jesus Christ and contemplate the unworthiness of our worries.
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?--Matthew 6:27
Please, have a great day!
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