I met Seth at the big kids school today, said bye to the big ones, and started on a big adventure with my little 3. I put Tru in a Mei Tai on my stomach, had my large backpack that I am currently living out of on my back, and a whole foods bag with the kids stuff over my shoulder. I was weighed down and had 2 little peoples hands, we were ready!
We walked a little to the bus stop and hopped on. Apparently I really don’t know what I’m doing and that one only took us about a mile before we needed to get off. We hopped on another and were on our way again! Tru loved watching the world go by and Tay was happy trying to figure out how everything works. Ten loved sitting alone and trying to hold on so she wouldn’t fall! We got off the bus at the perfect spot to walk through the park on our way to Lala’s house. Easy, right?
Tenny apparently felt a tantrum when we were walking next to the lake was really the best approach. Ugh.. thanks Ten. Wearing a toddler in a ridiculous cast isn’t very fun either. (Have I not explained my little Tru is now in a SPICA cast which covers almost his entire lower body? Oh I will soon enough!) My hip bones were being crushed and his cast was rubbing on my leg raw, not to mention the sweat I was accumulating between us. With Tru’s weight, my backpack, and their bag of stuff my shoulders were also on fire… but Tay and I were happily talking about everything he saw, the pain was worth it.
Eventually we passed a youngish man, maybe his late teens early 20’s. He had earbuds in and looked like he was just out for a walk, maybe a walk/run. As soon as he passed I turned to look at Tenny who was sitting on the ground in a “no I’m not going to listen to you mommy” way. The guy was also in that direction so I saw him walking away from me for a minute before he turned and started walking straight toward me. Im usually very uncomfortable with strangers and his eyes were locked on me. I tried to move out of his was but he kept coming toward me which made me start holding my breath. We he got to me he held out a stack of money with a “here, for you”. I immediately got even more uncomfortable and repeated “Oh no no thank you but no I don’t need that” and whatever else I rattled off as I tried to take some steps back. He clearly wasn’t hearing it and slipped the money in my bag with a ” I appreciate what you are doing” and walked off. I was stunned. Honestly when you have a lot of kids people offer you money a lot, but never a young man like that.
We made it to Lala’s safely and now I sit here wondering what to do with the money. How do I “pay it forward” like this kind young man did? I don’t know if it looked like i needed it, if he was on a mission to give something, or what his reason was. To the kind young man that made some crazy lady with too man kids day, thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for reminding me there are good people in the world. Thank you for for appreciating what this Mom does for her kids even when you didn’t have to.
To the kind young man at the park, Thank you.
Seven Wild And Free 