Stranger revelation

Today I had a thought that totally terrified me (other than the fact that my oh-so-precious son is NEVER leaving the womb). To explain it to folks that have never been preggers – people talk to you all the time. Everywhere. In the bathroom, leaving church, checking out at the grocery store – people are always overly friendly and have some piece of vital advice that you must know as a new mom. Mamas, you know what I mean. To some people I know this friendly chatter is a bother, but to me, it’s an opportunity to talk to a happy stranger! Today when I was paying for my groceries, the sixteen year old bagger smiled big, looked down at my belly and said, “Let me guess, a boy, right?” and proceeded to tell me how he knew that it was in fact a boy, and about his mom and his little brother.  I stopped and thought to myself - will strangers care about me when I’m not as big as a barn? No, they most likely won’t. However, that led to my next thought - if I am so positively impacted by the friendliness of strangers than why not be a friendly stranger to others? It is such a simple act of kindness and it very well may be how you, the reader, live your life every day. But I know I don't. I’m often in a hurry, focused on the task at hand and not concerned with any other person’s day but mine. What a self-centered way to get through the day! So today, I am making a life change and deciding to be a better stranger. To pay it forward, if you will.  Because I have learned through this pregnancy that you just don’t know whose day will be better for it, and honestly, going out of your way to just be a kind person to everyone (even strangers) makes being much easier. Thanks guy at the grocery store for today's little lesson, and you are right – it is a boy!

[caption id="attachment_43" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="For the record, this isn't THE guy at the grocery store per say, but you get the point."][/caption]