Kindness

Community is a wonderful thing.

We had not lived in Texas long when one day, Chicken Nugget and I were driving down the road. We saw out in a field that there were some Texas Longhorns and some white cranes all congregating together.

"Now that," said Chicken Nugget, in her usual dramatic way, "That is a community."

She had just learned in school about different species of animals who, though they may be very different in many ways, occupy the same space and help each other out in some way.

I really like that illustration of community.

I have several communities in my own life, as does most everyone. I have my family community, my immediate neighborhood, my Sunday school and the larger church as a whole; I have a work community, and my work community is inside a larger community, which many might know as a mall.

In the mall are several independent shopowners. One in particular, Mr. Sam, owns a formal dress shop. He comes into our store on occasion to buy nice work shirts. The first time I saw him, he had his back to me as he was speaking with another associate. I noticed that he had some lint on his suit jacket, so I got the lint brush and brushed it off for him. He left the store and returned with a pocket calendar and pen set with the name of his store on it, and told me if I needed anything for a special occasion, to come see him.

Mr. Sam is a dear grandpa of a man, with a thick accent; he is from Iran. He is full of gentleness and kindness and I am so glad he is part of my community. Since we met, I have made it a point to go into his store to look around if I can when I am on a break, and he particularly likes it if I am out shopping with the kids, that I bring the kids into the store so that he can see them. I don't see him often, but when I do, he always has warmth and kind words and a hug for me and the kids if they are with me. He is the same way to my coworkers and I would probably not be wrong in assuming, with everyone he knows.

Yesterday, I had some errands to run and decided to go by the mall to look at some sales. Mr. Sam was standing outside his store when the kids and I came by, and he was right there to greet us and make us feel special. Noodle started talking about her upcoming birthday party, and Mr. Sam said, "Come, you must come into my store."

We walked in and started looking around and he said, "You must choose a dress!"

I said, "Oh, Mr. Sam, I wish I could; they're all so beautiful."

He said, "No, no, it is my gift to Noodle for her birthday!"

I was stunned to the point of tears. Mr. Sam gave Noodle a dress right off the rack! He got her out of the stroller, asked her which dress she would like, and helped her find just the right size. She felt like a princess and didn't want to take the dress off. I tried to protest, but Sam said, "No, no, it is my gift. You choose which dress."

He quietly wrapped up the dress and handed me the bag, ducking his head and avoiding every one of my attempts to praise him.

This after telling me that business had been very slow for him just recently.

It may seem small to anyone else, this story. Not that incredible, not that exciting. But I am still emotional just thinking about it. It may have even small to Mr. Sam, but it was wonderful for Noodle and me. Thank you, Mr. Sam for your kindness.