KINDNESS, NO STRINGS ATTACHED

Today Joel and I were at the thrift store buying outdoor decorations for the pocket park that I own in our neighborhood. There was a woman in the line beside us who was looking at the cash register after each kid’s clothing item was scanned, to see if she could continue to afford the next. The cashier gave her the heads up that the next item (which she wanted for her oldest son) was $8.99, which is expensive for a thrift store item. It was a brand name shirt with the original tags on it, and while she was excited about the idea of her son having something new, she couldn’t afford it. Other people’s pain pours into me like a waterfall into a river; I’ve always been that way. I couldn’t take it. I turned around, walked into her line, and asked her if I could buy the shirt. She gave the most adorable “yes” I’ve ever heard in my life. I put the $9.00 into her hand, wrapped her fingers around it, and gave her a hug. Joel and I checked out, and as we were leaving, I realized that her children were standing by the door. I am assuming she’d let them choose their own clothes and was hoping to buy as many as she could, hence the strange way she was checking out. Her oldest son was keeping an eye on them while their Momma was checking out. He smiled and said, “Thanks so much for everything you just did”, and I proceeded to walk to the car and cry my eyes out. ‘Cause, you know, I still haven’t let go of the fact that I can’t save the world. I’ll be damned if I don’t keep trying.

We are all blessed here at Suspended Coffees to know Tara and Joel. They are a vital part of what we do, and we are truly blessed to call them our friends. #morethanthecoffee

Tara and Joel are currently on a  mission is to provide the South Side of Columbus an ever evolving community space for sharing fellowship, music, poetry, books, and ideas over locally sourced coffee, tea, and food. Please support their crowd-funder right here  and also check out their website  Community Grounds