The Costco Hug (Day 301, Year 2)

Today at Costco, a woman hugged me because I told her where the heated long underwear was located. This hug was like a real hug--not a passing squeeze you give your third cousin when you are trying to leave an awkward family dinner. She told me thank you so much and to have a Happy Thanksgiving, which made me laugh. 

But, then I cried,  right there in the Costco line, while loading my bulk beef stew meat and my gigantic package of paper towels on the belt. I don't even know if I gave her very good directions or if she found the heated long underwear. I nearly went to look for her to make sure she did. What if her gratitude was misplaced? 

How often is someone so overcome with gratitude towards a stranger that they give them a truly beautiful loving hug? How often are we the recipients of such unfettered, over the top gratitude?

Not often enough, friends. I don't even think most of us look at one another. 

I only looked at her because she had been asking and asking the Costco employees in my check out line where the heated long underwear was located. She was in a rush and for some reason this item was really important. The employees were treating her like she was completely invisible. She apologized to me and asked them again. They ignored her again. 

This happens a lot to women. I am a little bit of an expert on the topic, since I am a woman.

I don't know why this happens a lot. I guess people think the things we need are silly or frivolous. And sometimes they are and often they are not but not is neither here nor there, right? When we need something we need something and we don't need any commentary or judgement about it. We just want to be heard, not ignored. 

I cannot stand to watch someone ignored. We all have important things to say and things we need and all our voices have value. I am a bit on an expert on this, too, since I am a mother of three. When my kids are upset, all they want, all they need is me to listen to them. They want to be heard. I try my best to hear them. And help them. 

And friends, it is so wonderful to be heard and appreciated. I guess today I was feeling a bit under appreciated. And this wonderful, crazy in the best way, Costco woman appreciated me. I am so thankful for her.