Never Judge
 
'Some people!' snorted a man standing behind me in the long line at the
grocery store.
 
'You would think the manager would pay attention and open another line',
said a woman. I looked to the front of the line to see what the hold up was
and saw a well dressed, young woman, trying to get the machine to accept her
credit card. No matter how many times she swiped it, the machine kept
rejecting it.
 
'It's one of them welfare card things. Damn people need to get a job like
everyone else,' said the man standing behind me. The young woman turned
around to see who had made the comment.   'It was me,' he said, pointing to
himself.
 
The young lady's face began to change expression. Almost in tears, she
dropped the welfare card onto the counter and quickly walked out of the
store. Everyone in the checkout line watched as she began running to her
car. Never looking back, she got in and drove away.
 
After developing cancer in 1977 and having had to use food stamps; I had
Learned never to judge anyone, without knowing the circumstances of their
Life. This turned out to be the case today.
 
Several minutes later a young man walked into the store. He went up to the
Cashier and asked if she had seen the woman. After describing her, the
Cashier told him that she had run out of the store, got into her car, and
Drove aw ay .
 
'Why would she do that?' asked the man. Everyone in the line looked around
At the fellow who had made the statement.   'I made a stupid comment about
The welfare card she was using.  Something I shouldn't have said. I'm
Sorry,' said the man.
 
'Well, that's bad, real bad, in fact.  Her brother was killed in  Afghanistan two years ago. He had three young children and she has taken on
That responsibility. She's twenty years old, single, and now has three
Children to support,' he said in a very firm voice.
 
'I'm really truly sorry. I didn't know,' he replied, shaking both his
Hands about.
 
Th e young man asked, 'Are these paid for?' pointing to the shopping cart
Full of groceries. 'It wouldn't take her card,' the clerk told him.
 
'Do you know where she lives?' asked the man who had made the comment.
 
'Yes, she goes to our church.'
 
'Excuse me,' he said as he made his way to the front of the line. He
Pulled out his wallet, took out his credit card and told the cashier,
'Please use my card. PLEASE!' The clerk took his credit card and began to
Ring up the young woman's groceries.
 
Hold on,' said the gentleman. He walked back to his shopping cart and
Began loading his own groceries onto the belt to be included. 'Come on
People. We got three kids to help raise!' he told everyone in line. Everyone
Began to place their groceries onto the fast moving belt. A few customers
Began bagging the food and placing it into separate carts. 'Go back and get
Two big turkeys,' yelled a heavyset woman, as she looked at the man. 'NO,'
Yelled the man.    Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The entire store
Became quiet for several seconds. 'Four turkeys,' yelled the man. Everyone
Began laughing and went back to work. When all was said and done, the man
Paid a total of $1,646.57 for the groceries He then walked over to the side,
Pulled out his check book, and began writing a check using the bags of dog
food piled near the front of the store for a writing surface. He turned
Around and handed the check to the young man. 'She will need a freezer and a
Few other things as well,' he told the man.
 
The young man looked at the check and said, 'This is really very generous
Of you.'
 
'No,' said the man. 'Her brother was the generous one.'
 
Everyone in the store had been observing the odd commotion and began to
Clap.  And I drove home that day feeling very American.
 
We live in the Land of the free, because of the Brave! Remember our Troops
Of Yesterday and Today !
 
Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear. - Mark Twain
 
A great example of why we should be kind and patient.
 
Enjoy Life., You only get on e try at it.
Blessings to you and yours
 
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.   'This is the day the
LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.'   Psalm 118:24