The Grocery Store Angel

As I walked into the grocery store last Thursday, Covid-19 had not yet affected Minnesota as extremely as it had in other states. Even so, I could still feel anxiety nibbling at the corners of my mind.

Next to the shopping carts there were boxes of plastic gloves available if people wanted to put them on, so I did though most people did not, and I wondered if I was overreacting. 

The first aisle I went to was, of course, the paper products and sure enough the toilet paper shelves were empty. I stared at them for a moment, why I don’t know. Maybe I was thinking if I stared long enough and said some positive affirmations, rolls of toilet paper would magically appear!

A woman pulled her cart up next to mine. She had short dark hair, was maybe 5 feet tall, and reminded me of those little ladies you notice driving cars who can barely see over the steering wheel. She smiled and said, “We don’t want to live in fear do we, but sometimes people get scared.” 

It was as if she had read my mind. I was determined not to live in fear, but every once in a while, especially after watching the news, I could still feel it trying to creep into my life.

Many people say that faith and fear cannot be in your mind at the same time. That might be true for others but not for me. I have found that there are days when faith and fear are continually bumping into each other, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The confusion it creates makes you think and consciously decide how you want to live your life.

Something about this dear lady’s presence was so calming. She continued on her way, and I never saw her again anywhere else in the store. 

I decided she was my grocery store angel, sent to comfort me.

When we stop to notice, we see angels all around us disguised as family, friends, neighbors or even strangers in grocery stores. They are reminders that we are not alone and that we have so much to be grateful for, and you never know when you will be the angel who reminds someone else that all will be well.