2. Tell us about a random act of kindness that you witnessed or were a part of.
When my daughters were just little things I took them to the mall with me to return some clothes. I carried baby Laina and held toddler Maile’s hand as we went up the escalator to the second and then on to the third floor. On the way down, toddler Maile insisted on going by herself without holding my hand. I stood behind her and she cautiously stepped onto the moving stairs that carried us down to the second floor. Once on the second floor, toddler Maile insisted again on riding without holding my hand, but this time she insisted I step on first.
Since we had done this successfully with her in front of me 30 seconds prior, and knowing if I insisted she go first I could be facing an epic toddler tantrum, I went ahead and followed her instructions.
I stepped onto the escalator to go down with baby Laina and I turned to watch toddler Maile carefully step on, except she didn’t step on.
As the escalator slowly brought Laina and me down, down, down…Maile had decided she was actually too afraid to go by herself with me so far away.
And just like that, I became that mom at the bottom of an escalator, spinning in circles with a squirmy baby. Do I leave my position to go around the store and up the escalator on the opposite side? Do I dare take my eyes off my toddler, who at any moment could decide to go down on her own after all? Do I attempt to go back UP the down with my baby in tow?
What was I thinking stepping onto the escalator without holding her hand? I encouraged Maile from the bottom, “Go on honey! You can take a step! Just like before, go on now!”
But she just stood there and stared at me with a look on her face that told me she was going to break down in sobs at ANY moment.
And then our angel appeared. A woman came around the corner to head down the stairs and saw my darling toddler standing there alone. She looked at my girl and then down the stairs at me waving with my baby, “Helllooo!! Hey so long story, but I actually left my toddler up there…would you mind helping her onto the stairs?”
And of course, she did.
Because it takes a village.
And when she handed my daughter off to me at the bottom I was all, “Oh thank you so much! You know how it goes!!” and she was all, “Oh absolutely!” even though I’m sure she never in her life left a toddler on the second floor of a department store.
I love helpers.
Now it’s your turn!
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Writing Prompts:
1. Write a blog post about something that recently annoyed you.
2. Tell us about a random act of kindness that you witnessed or were a part of.
3. Write about something you wish you were good at.
4. Write a blog post inspired by the word: flounder.
5. If you are a parent, write about how this phase of parenthood is compared to how you imagined.
John Holton says
One of those “slice oif life” memories to cherish and tell her children when you feel like embarrassing you oldest daughter…