You Love Who You Love

The studio recital was yesterday. I have a lot to say about that but it's going to require more time than I have right now. 

I'm thinking about all the random people in life whom we love. For me, it turns out that a great handful of the people I love are outside of any circle I came to on my own. They are the people who love my kids. 

Maggie. Chevy. Mary Lynn. All people I would never have known but for my kids. And my kids' school teachers.  

And Rosie. Who works at Byerlys. I don't even know her last name but since July 18, 2001, the day Calvin was born she loves my kids. Back then I would go into Byerlys' almost every week to get photos of the baby-bug printed out for the grandparents and the heavy scrapbook I kept. Rosie was always there. When Calvin got old enough she started giving him lollypops and letting him hold the plastic number for the drive through pick-up. She probably coodles everyones kids, but I didn't care. Then I was pregnant with Mary and she and my mom would chit chat. And Mary was born and she cooed over Mary. Mary had a dramatic birthmark and Rosie would always say it didn't look that bad. Grocery shopping with kids was less awful with Rosie. 

I don't go into Byerlys as much anymore. When I do it isn't always Rosie's shift and really she should be retired by now. I've seen her picking up her grandkids at Calvin's school and I know she was taking care of her elderly mom all these years.

Today I needed frozen soup. Emergency dinner for a boy who is getting braces. You can't pay much more for a frozen soup than at Byerlys but there I was getting eight of them. It's a busy week. . . 

I waited a little longer to stand in Rosie's line. How are the kids? How is your mom? How is your mom? 

Long pause. 

I lost my mom. 

I'm so sorry, when was that? Almost a year ago and then I lost my son. 

And I made everyone in the line and the manager and the grocery baggers wait while she told me about her 47 year old son who lost a quick battle to ALS and the children he left behind and how you can't protect your kids from crap like this and how you will never be the same.  

All there in the grocery line. 

And suddenly you have entered into someone else's pain, because that's what we do. 

She became embarrassed and changed the subject to the middle school ski team and whether Calvin would do that again. 

But I didn't buy that and I made my way that long distance around to behind the check out counter and gave her a hug. 

You love who you love.