I Want More Amazing Acts Like The One In ShopRite In Toms River

I want to recount a story I witnessed earlier this morning at the ShopRite in Toms River.

I had to stop to get more Tylenol -- yea, recovery is rough -- when I witnessed an amazing act of kindness that should be mimicked every chance we get.

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I was looking to get in and out fast because I was on my way to work until I saw two groups of people down at the end of the medicine aisle.

One group consisted of a mom with two young kids. One was a young baby and the other couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 years old.

But it was the two 40-something year old women a few feet away that had my jaw drop.

The mom was struggling. The baby was incessantly crying and just wasn't having life at that moment. But while the mom was trying to calm the baby down, the toddler pulled at the mom's dress and at one point, attempted to run away down the aisle.

A minute or two of this struggle went by until one of the 40-something year old woman stepped in to help.

She went over and approached the toddler to ask his name. He answered. She asked how his day was. There was some resistance but eventually he answered. And eventually, the mom lowered her defenses realizing that this woman approached to help, not to hurt.

The woman wasn't involved for more than 5 minutes but she did distract the toddler just long enough for the mom to calm the baby down and set him up calmly in his baby seat so she could finish her shopping trip.

"Thank you!" said the Mom. I wish you saw this woman's face....she was so grateful for just a few minutes of help.

"I have 4 kids. I get it," said the other woman.

Side Note: I tried to witness this entire situation without looking creepy. I don't think I succeeded.

But my ultimate point here is that this woman's 5 minute act of kindness probably changed the course of this mother's day.

Everyone has bad moments. Everyone struggles.

But not everyone receives a helping hand when they need it most.

I know people may be hesitant to approach others with COVID-19 looming about but we have all struggled this past year and a half together.

So help the parents, help the kids, help the teachers, the law enforcement, the healthcare workers and everyone in-between.

One act of kindness goes a long way.

Nicole S. Murray. MWAH!

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