At Costco, and two contrasting encounters with other shoppers and their trolleys. Trolley wars increase as Christmas approaches.
Minding my own business turning into the next aisle, peripheral vision picks up rapid incoming - the tall robust lady driving her trolley like an AUDI cut across while saying "Sorry" - in a tone that contradicted any semblance of apology. I translated her words and actions as as self-important impatience with such irrelevancies as courtesy, respect, or the slightest thought that others might have to be considered in a crowded world.
I'm in Costco looking for gloves, outdoor cycling, not too thick. First the helpful assistant directed me to them since they weren't anywhere obvious, "Aye, they're up next to the Deli." I look through them - XL, L, M, S - the XL I could use as a wicket keeper. I look through several columns of boxes, can't see any S size. I grovel at the bottom boxes - can't easily see what's in the top boxes (it's a height thing). A large trolley looms to my right, and a gentle voice with a European accent says, "What size are you looking for?" (No, it wasn't the AUDI trolley lady) It was a tall rugby player type of man. I said, "Small." He looked through all the top boxes I couldn't see into, and said, "Sorry, none here." Smiled and off he went pushing his trolley.
I have no idea what is happening in the life of these two people. For all I know the lady was in a hurry because she had child care stuff to sort, other family worries that meant she was preoccupied and her day was already hard, Maybe so. The helpful well-dressed rugby player perhaps had his own problems too, or maybe was just having a better day.
What I'm pondering, is my own annoyance at the woman's behaviour (obvious in my retelling of it), and gratitude to the man (also obvious in my retelling of it). That second commandment - it doesn't allow for discrimination. I don't get to choose which neighbour to love.
If anything the annoying lady may well be God's way of raising the bar of what obedience to "Love your neighbour as yourself" actually involves. That requires some empathy, patience, and a sense of proportion about what actually matters.
And my friendly rugby player may well have come along to demonstrate exactly what "Love your neighbour as yourself" looks like, when you're tall and the other guy isn't! And it's no big deal to help out, except it is, because every one of those no big deal moments of helping others, is a choice.
Either way, "Thank you God for the revision lessons. Hope I do better in the next assignments."
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