I am famous for carrying stuff.
LOTS of stuff.
My daily commute involves the train, subway and bus (one way). My job involves shopping for stuff and bringing said stuff to work in bags and satchels and once, a suitcase. Wool and decorations and books and food in a crock pot. My most notorious journey involved a suitcase containing the entire ingredients for Irish stew for 50 people.
They don’t call me “the bag lady” for nothing.
But today was different.
Today I took it up a notch, and took a large, somewhat unstable suitcase, a laptop and a purse on my commute. It was interesting.
Like the person who expects to get on the crowded subway with their bike, I felt I was imposing on everyone. I took extra space. I took extra time. At one point, I ran over a man’s toes with my over sized bag. “Sorry, sorry,” I muttered as I lurched through the system. My purse fell off my shoulder, and at one point when the bus sopped suddenly, I clung to the pole like a life raft as my suitcase threatened to pull me down the aisle.
I wasn’t having fun.
At the bus station, I took an elevator to one level, but then found the only way to the next level was a narrow set of stairs. I waited until everyone left the area, and slowly, step-by-step, made my way down. At each descent, my suitcase threatened to tip, throwing us both off balance. To my dismay, I realised a young fellow about the age of my son had begun his ascent up this same set of stairs. I was in his way.
Then it happened. In the most polite of manners, he said, “Ma’am, could I carry that down for you?” He took the suitcase from me and went down the stairs, and then returned in the direction he had begun. “You have a good day.” he said as he left, and I thought, you just made it good.
One young guy the age of my son helped this mom with her heavy bag, because my son couldn’t be there to do it. He was the one. The one who didn’t glare at me. The one who took the time. The one who helped.
So today, on this Mother’s Day, I say to sons and daughters of all ages everywhere, be the one.
Be the one to go the extra mile to make someone’s day. Hold a door, give up your seat, smile, carry a bag. You will give blessing far beyond the simple act.
Be the one.