Guest post by Diana Derringer
In light of recent events, Mom and I discussed difficult decisions ahead. Although exhausted, her voice brightened when she threw in a question.
“Did I tell you about my trip to the grocery store?”
“No.”
During the one-hour drive to Dad’s urologist and radiation oncologist two days before, Mom’s back had screamed with pain. Then my brother had to stop driving twice due to chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. She called me. I met the three of them, and we juggled a day of Dad’s scheduled appointments and Rob’s emergency room tests.
After I took all of them home, Mom fell into bed exhausted but unable to sleep. Her mind flooded with daily challenges: her fibromyalgia, heart disease, and recent back surgery; my dad’s cancer, limited mobility, and rapidly advancing dementia; and now additional concerns for my brother’s special needs. How much longer could she handle those responsibilities at 86 years old?
The next day, she stopped by the store where she picked up medicine, bought a gallon of milk, and waited to check out. Suddenly the man in front of her threw a bag of chips her way.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She laughed and threw them back.
They continued their lighthearted banter followed by his “I’m going to buy your milk.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
Mom pointed toward the quiet but smiling woman beside him. She asked the man, twice her size and half her age, “Is that your wife?
“No, she’s my sister.”
Without missing a beat, Mom said, “May I give you a hug?”
His “of course” sealed the deal.
In the 15-items-or-less checkout lane, a middle-aged man gave Mom the perfect gift. Little did he know.
Whether a caregiver like my mom or a bystander like her new friend, embrace mini-moments to brighten everyone’s day.
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. ~Psalm 30:11 NIV
Diana C. Derringer, author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary, shares hope and joy through more than 1,100 devotions, articles, dramas, planning guides, Bible studies, and poems in 70-plus publications. She and her husband serve as a friendship family to international university students. Enjoy her Words, Wit, and Wisdom at dianaderringer.com.
Tracy Crump dispenses hope in the award-winning Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness (CrossLink Publishing, 2021). A former intensive care nurse, she cared for her parents and her mother-in-law and understands both the burdens and joys of caregiving. Her devotions have been featured in Guideposts books, The Upper Room, and many other publications, and she has contributed 22 stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul® books. She also conducts writing workshops, freelance edits, and proofreads for Farmers’ Almanac. But her most important job is Grandma to five completely unspoiled grandchildren.
Sometimes the smallest things mean the most. Kindness can change the world!
You’re so right, Jeri!
Amen, Jeri. Thank you. Blessings.
What a touching story. It shows that it definitely is little bursts of happiness and fun can change a persons day into joy.
You’re so right, Pam. And it only takes a moment.
So true, Pam. We simply need to keep our eyes and hearts open for opportunities.
Those “mini moments” are wonderful opportunities to share the love of Christ through our words and actions. I pray I am always alert to the nudges God gives me. 🙂
Me, too, Melissa! It’s so easy to get busy and ignore them.
I pray the same, Melissa. Blessings on your mini moments.
Tracy, thank you for the opportunity to share this special memory.
Thank YOU for sharing this, Diana! We all need a boost of encouragement but especially when we’re overwhelmed with caregiving.
Tracy, I loved this snapshot-in-time piece. Can’t wait to read the next!
Thank you, Lori! Diana has had many years of caregiving herself and understands the balm of encouragement.
Thank you so much, Lori. This captures one of our family’s hardest but most meaningful times.