Leave a Quarter in the Cart

It was cold and rainy.

It had been a long day working on a complicated project. Tensions were high at the office.

My boys were crabby because they had been cooped up in the apartment after school.

There was no food in the house, and we all were a little "hangry."

Exhausted and frustrated, I grabbed my purse, and rushed out the door.

When I got to the grocery store, I parked the car and sat there a few minutes.

Took a couple deep breaths and stared out into the gloomy evening. Trying to muster up the resolve to keep moving, when all I wanted to do was take a nap.

Then I grabbed a few bags from the backseat and headed across the parking lot.

Halfway to the door, I stopped.

Did I bring my quarter?

The grocery store I frequent has a system where you need to put a quarter in the cart to take it out of the corral.

Shoot, I forgot to grab it from the console!

Turning back toward the car, I remembered.

My heart sank.

I had cleaned the loose change out of my car a few days before. There were no quarters.

And I rarely carry cash, so I didn't even have a dollar to get change from the cashier.

There was no way I could carry all the food we needed for the week with two hands.

I sighed. Another road bump in an already bumpy day.

There wasn't really time the rest of that week to make another grocery run, but I'd have to figure it out somehow.

Resigned, I made my way to the door, mentally prioritizing my grocery list to just the most important items.

When I got to the cart corral, I saw a cart that wasn't hooked up to the rest.

Could it be?

I nearly cried when I saw that this cart already had a quarter in it.

Someone had been nice enough to leave their quarter behind.

That simple act of kindness changed the course of that night for me.

I was able to buy all of the things I needed, make a nice meal for my boys and end our night with a few smiles and warm hugs.

That was nearly seven years ago now, but I think about it every time I go to that grocery store.

In this world where it often feels like only the big things matter, it's important to remember that the little things matter more.

Yesterday, when I finished my grocery shopping, I left my quarter behind.

Knowing that there's another tired, frustrated mom out there who probably forgot her quarter too.

We live in a world that can feel very unkind.

But in reality, it doesn't take much to be kind to the people around us.

All we have to do is leave a quarter in the cart.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Leave a comment and tell me how my post spoke to you today.

If you'd like a copy of one of my books, there are lots of ways for you to get them!

• Buy the paperback of my first book here: Two Different Boots

• Kindle, Paperback or Audio on Amazon

• Or via ebook at Barnes and Noble.