A Beautiful Day for Some of Us

For whatever reason I decided to go to Target this morning instead of Walmart to get the few grocery items I didn't pick up yesterday and also look for a pair of cargo shorts to mow in while the humidity is at the close to intolerable level.


As I walked down the fairly quiet aisles I heard a distressed, "HELP! HELP!" come from behind me and down an intersecting aisle. I noticed a clerk start running in the direction of the cries and then she stopped.


"HELP! HELP!" came the distressing cry again and she quickly started running again passed me and turned down an aisle where I could see the heads of two young women looking down at the floor.


I assumed someone with them had fallen or collapsed and it was confirmed as I heard the clerk speak, "We have a customer down!" into her hand held radio.


I silently prayed that whoever it was would be okay and I imagined them all cheerily getting ready to go to Target together on what is a beautiful, sunny day with cloudless skies, after 3 weeks of rain and storms.


There is a certain comfort and familiarity in shopping with family and friends, cruising up and down the aisles of a store with them and taking in the sounds and smells and activity going on around us, whether we need anything or not, and I hope this wasn't to be the last time whoever was on the floor would do that.


When I checked out, I was finally able to see up the aisle where several people were gathered and the two young women were there. There was something dark on the floor and I couldn't tell if it was someone lying there, or if someone was sitting up inside the circle of people.


I didn't know the people involved, but needless to say it was all rather unsettling, and it brought to mind just how quickly we are all headed to that final step we make upon this planet and into the afterlife. Though we tend to live as if we will always go on living here, our mortality is all too evident with every breath we take and with every second, minute, hour, day, week, month, and year that passes by.


Leaving the store I noticed a fire truck with lights on was coming down the through lane, and as I continued walking to the far end of the lot where my car was parked beneath the shade of tree, I watched the truck continue down the front of the store and join an ambulance already parked at the far entrance and sitting silently with its lights flashing.


I drove out of the parking lot, hoping that the person that needed assistance would be able to go home with their family later and this beautiful sunny day would not be their last one together.


Contrast and a smile was to come later as I went through the drive-thru at McDonalds. I slowed for a family crossing to go inside, and heard a little boy's innocent excitement as he clung to his father's hand, jumping up and down just a little bit, and expressing his joy at getting inside to get his chocolate milk.


He hadn't a care in the world and no clue that elsewhere, another person was facing an entirely different experience.


I hope he remains as innocent, joyful, and appreciative of the simple things in life like chocolate milk that bring us happiness while we are here.