There are weeds in life, yucky distractions and demands that suck our time and steal our joy. But goodness can pop up if we stop and look a little closer.
Our youngest daughter and I were at the gas station after a series of discouraging events that left me in tears of frustration. As we walked inside we were both surprised by what unfolded.
A sweet older gentleman employee met our eyes warmly. His sincere welcome hit my heart immediately. His job was to hand out samples of the new food items being promoted, but he did WAY more than give us bite-sized samples.
He asked my daughter about her cowboy boots and complimented her silky blonde hair. We all discussed our love for lemon donuts, sharing playful banter that was unexpected and genuine. After it was all said and done he upgraded his original offering of the bite-sized lemon donut bite to a full-sized donut, joking that he might get fired but he didn’t care.
He made us feel special, taking a closer look at us, and noticing our need for some extra love and attention.
Slowing down to notice the details matters.
If you look a little closer at what’s right in front of you, you might be surprised by what you find.
You will never be able to keep all of the weeds out of your life. They are abundant and pop up too quickly. Daily challenges and discouragements come with the experience of living. But you can embrace what you’ve got in your midst with a fresh perspective.
Receiving the unexpected gift of kindness from this stranger reminds me of the truth that even amidst the weeds of life, we are ALL wonderfully made.