The Lady at the Library.

Affirming words …are like light switches.
Speak a word of affirmation at the right moment in a child’s life
and it’s like lighting up a whole roomful of possibilities.
— Gary Smalley

 

 

Despite the threat of a winter storm (yes, in April?!), I packed up my daughters, buttoned up jackets, tied on bonnets and went to the library today.

Five little pink girlies, carrying heaps and mounds of plastic covered books in their arms down three floors of stairs, excited over their new read alouds and readers for the week. Books on horses, chickens, farms, spring, owls, manners and blessing others, Latin America, a wealth of knowledge carried joyfully in little arms.

 

As we were checking out our mountain of books, with Leia sitting on the library checkout counter and all the girls around me, a 50-something-aged-woman walked up and said, “Wow … are these girls all yours?” Oh yes, I nodded … indeed. 🙂

 

I turned back to my pile of books, stacked high on the counter, and to be honest, I fully expected to hear another comment saying how busy my life must be or how my husband must be wishing for a boy or “Goodness, you’re crazy!” or my favorite ‘Don’t you have t.v.!?” or did I mention “You’re crazy!”

 

But instead … she clasped her hands together and smiled a big, huge smile.

“Wow, you are so blessed,” the grey haired woman said. There was a sparkle in her eye and her face radiated happiness.

“And are there twins? Oh my, how fun! Look at the baby, oh how sweet is she!…”

She continued to gush and compliment the children, she spoke kindly to my eldest and told her how lucky she was to have sisters …  with her voice echoing in the high ceiling lobby of the library, she rattled on a story of her mother growing up in a large family and my, oh my,  what a wonderful thing it is to have a big family …  She truly made my day.

In a society where children are often looked upon as a burden, something that is in the way of ‘the better life’ or simply noisy, messy, expensive little humans that leave fingerprints, stains and loads of laundry behind, this lovely stranger took five minutes out of her day to express what a joy it is to raise up children, to have a family and to ENJOY it while doing so.

I left the library feeling so grateful for that simple five minute conversation  …

 

Thank you, Miss Lady at the Library.

 

You spoke beautiful words of blessings over the heads of my children and into the listening ears of those around us, smiled into the eyes of my older girls and encouraged six hearts that day.

I am grateful.