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Showing Favor

I was pushing my cart down the soup and sauce aisle, when I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. Ah, there was actually another person like me who intently reads labels, good for her! I passed by her and focused back on what I needed to get. But then I felt a soft pull on my shoulder and there she stood. Dark hair and skin, inquisitive eyes peering from her glasses, she pointed directly at the phrase "contains less than" on the pizza sauce can, and asked me the meaning in very broken English. I smiled back and did my best to describe that meant "quite small". She thanked me and described her purpose of making a pizza for her son. We met again a few aisles over, this time in the dairy section. Now she eagerly forged toward me to ask what kind of cheese went on a pizza. I pointed out her choices and showed her even better prices for some that were the same. She happily responded as we finally parted on our ways. I walked out of the store, reflecting on our conversation. It really is such a simple thing to offer kind assistance, I'm glad I was approached. . .
And yet sometimes it is so much easier to go about our days, to be just focused on our own needs, and not even have time for someone else. Certainly this week, the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti has broken all our hearts. I often have wondered why it seems that devastation seems to hit an already devastated and impoverished people. Why does that occur? Of course I have no answer, except to say it moves us. It moves us from complacency and selfish living, it moves us to generously respond. If only we would live the lesson that favor is not for us to keep but show . . .

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