My physical exercise yesterday consisted of walking the aisles of Costco while my newly launched son filled a cart with his Christmas present: pantry supplies for his new apartment.
Reviewing his checking account since moving out revealed that the local fast food industry had been seeing a bump in sales. As we entered those large warehouse doors, I set the tone by pulling out my calculator and letting him know I did have to keep track of his spree. His face went from “kid in a candy store” to an “I’ve got business here”.
The cart was soon filling up with a cache of Top Ramen, Pop Tarts and other teenage man essentials (he doesn’t have long distance hiking as an excuse). I would glance around cautiously hoping we didn’t run into anyone I knew, what would folks say if they saw this much high fructose corn syrup and enriched white flour in my cart? I have an image as a health nut to uphold! I threw a large bag of haricots verts and jarred artichokes into the cart in a futile attempt to keep up appearances.
Of course, it is my fault. I started him as a child with tofu and mashed broccoli but somewhere between that first Chicken McNugget Happy Meal and before the end of Spaghetti O’s reign at our house (a period I loving call The Age of Convenience, say between 3 and 14), we gave into whatever was the easiest and cheapest too often to sustain us. Thank goodness he still remembers the homemade orange chicken and beef stroganoff I used to make when he was younger and that every meal should have a fruit or vegetable.
The cart was full before we got to the deli section when my son turned to me apprehensively and asked what total we were up to. When I told him, he assessed what was in the cart and said those words every mother loves to hear, “I guess I better save room for some fruit.” Ah, joy. He topped off his bounty with grapes, sliced apples and carrots. Okay, the carrots are a lie. I wish.
As a friendly cashier named Craig waved my purchases over the scanner, he quickly assessed the flow of processed wheat, corn and soy as I let him know that I was stocking my son up in his new abode. He smiled and gave me an understanding look. Harry, who was boxing things up, looked over and laughed about how Craig had just done a similar thing: sent a child out into the world to college. Craig nodded his head and laughed as we joked about being free and whether or not our children were ready for the real world.
It was surprising that in this time of conflicting feelings I was able to share them with another parent, even if it was a stranger at Costco. Who knew I’d find a kindred soul in that moment? That gift somehow made It just a bit easier to drop my baby off at his new apartment later that night. How thankful I am for God’s timing in my life.
Have you ever shared a random parenting moment with a complete stranger?
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