An interesting string of events happened today ...
This morning Levi had to work in Shreveport. The weather was cold, and the kids were asleep when we left and I forgot to grab their shoes. So we went to the McDonald's to let them play while I did some work on my computer.
We were there a while...lol....in fact we were there so long we saw a birthday party come in and leave at one point.
Anyways, I had a lot of work to do on my ebay store. I am still learning, and was kind of absorbed in it most of the morning. Plus items weren't loading and I was getting frustrated because I couldn't figure out why. The kids were mostly behaving--being kids. They complained a few times about being bored, and then other times about not wanting to leave lol.
The first interesting and beautiful event was when a lady, who was there having breakfast with her daughter, got up to leave and handed me $10 and told me that God told her to give it me. I stood up an hugged her. I had not brought any extra cash and I knew McDonald's was not going to appease the two extremely energetic kids I had with me all day. The outdoor playground was also not an option today...So I put the $10 in my wallet and told them we would save it for later today.
Then the birthday party came in! The lady hosting it needed a pen, and I had a purple one that I offered to her. We smiled over the fact that it matched the party. Then she offered the kids some donuts, and later even brought them a happy meal to share. It was very sweet and I was feeling like a million dollars. There were some amazing people in the world and they all seemed to be at McDonald's this morning.
Next was the not so great thing that happened.... I don't really know where to begin on this, so bare with me if I flash back a little bit. When Alex was little, I used to FREAK OUT if he broke the rules and climbed up the wrong way on the slide. I was so anal about little rules like that. Then I had Julien and Gabriel (and Elijah). Jules and Gabe were rambunctious and extremely curious (not that Alex wasn't...he totally was, but he didn't have a partner in crime for the first six year of his life).
After Elijah passed away, my parenting changed dramatically. Some ways good, some ways bad. I'm NOT perfect, nor do I claim to be. I love my children and give them my best. Back to the slide... I've stopped enforcing it. I let my kids play freely and learn things from other interactions with kids--or by themselves. Climbing up a slide is liberating for a child. It is exploration. It is exciting. And I promise I am not the only mom who just wants a friggen break every once and a while and let's their children be wild at the McDonald's playground because she is so tired of having to say, "no." Not saying this is "right," I am just saying it is what is.
Okay, on to the point now....I was still working on my ebay stuff...trying to make some money and support my family. When this lady comes out of nowhere and jumps down my throat about how one of my kids is playing inside the slide and it scared her granddaughter, and I don't know if they accidentally knocked her down or something, because the lady was screaming at me in front of a crowd of other parents and I kind of started to tune her so that I would not match her negativity and start arguing. It was disgusting and to be honest, I have been fighting back anger over this all day.
Anyways, after she finished I said, "thank you," and walked over to Gabriel (who was now hiding under the slide terrified), and picked him up. She went over to her table and proceeded to tell her daughter that they were leaving. Her daughter talked her out of it, while a friendly man next to me also assured me not to leave and commiserated with me a little. I held Gabriel in my arms and told him that I was okay. I told him that I was not angry at him, and explained that if he were to play in the slide he could only do it when other kids were trying not to slide. Then I made him go apologize. NOT because the woman jumped down my throat, but because it was the right thing to do.
I kept my cool, collected my things and then packed us up to leave. We had been there long enough, clearly the magic of the gold arches was wearing off.
This is where the $10 comes in.
I had randomly thought about bringing the boys to this little shop that sells nitrogen ice cream and these little cool things called "dragon's breath." We went in and the people who owned it were so friendly. The kids were trying the dragon breath things when Gabriel accidentally knocked over the the cup and spilled them everywhere. We had already eaten a few and Gabriel didn't like them because they were too cold for his mouth. He is very sensitive to certain things like this... Anyways, the lady offered us another cup of the dragon's breath. I told her no thank you, and then she offered Gabriel ice cream instead, which of course he said yes. There was no mommy shaming because my kid was a little less than perfectly behaved. There was just simply love, or amazing customer service. And I am literally tearing up right now writing this because that love was much needed after the woman at McDonald's decided to take out all her anger on me, instead of calmly correcting the kids while they play.
So thank you to the kind owners/workers at N2O Puff in Bossier (Shreveport). Your beautiful act of kindness restored my faith in humanity again. And that $10 God sent me must have been a rebuttal for the hot headed grandma who got in my face.
So there is my fun little chain of events for you.
The moral? Kind people exist. Not so kind people exist. You have the ability to choose which one you are. You also have the ability to not sink down to the level of hot headed, self righteous people when they are screaming at you---especially in front of your children.
People, remember that we share this earth. We breath the same air. Do you really rather be miserable and angry to be "right?' NONE OF US ARE BETTER THAN THE OTHER. We are all in this together. Choose love...please.
It may take a few more days to let this one go. It's not really just her. I have been dealing with some very self righteous and unkind people lately. I don't know where they are all coming from and why I am attracting them. I am trying to figure out what they are here to teach me. I am also trying not to end up on episode of "Snapped." lol.
Send love, and lots of it. I could use it.
Also, please forgive me if any of this incoherent lol, it's late and I'm tired.
Other than that, I'm pretty happy.
Sending you all love and peace.
Go change the world. Do it for Elijah.
Thank you.
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