the tale of light-hearted cashier & a grumpy man

He was the kind of grumpy that comes from old age and not being able to hear as well as he once could or move as he once did. The kind of grumpy that comes with loss. 

I stood behind him as he gave his order to the cashier. She repeated back the order as he had said it but he, hard of hearing, said the order again, louder, as if she had said it wrong. I gave her a sympathetic smile as she said, "Okay, I got it, sir"

How easy it would be for her to sink at this. A woman likely on her feet most of the day, dealing with customers far grumpier than him. How easy it might be for her to withdraw or lash out. Instead, she made a joke. He didn't get it, but I laughed and admired the immense strength it took to remain kind and light-hearted in a wearying job.

Are you growing weary? Are the demands of life, or even the monotony of it, giving you a hardness you once didn't have? When was the last time you laughed? Or felt gratitude? Or went out of your way to be kind? 

I've found that when we experience Emmanuel, God with us, there is an overflow in our hearts. An overflow that helps us remain kind to the cruel, patient with the difficult, and gives us strength in our weariness. 

image: source