A Mother's Sacrificial Love
One of the things I love about shopping at the commissary on base is how I've gotten to know several of the cashiers and baggers over the years. They are all so kind and enjoy exchanging stories with me about their children and grandchildren. I've become so close to a few of them we even exchange hugs when we see each other in the store.
Today I had a bagger I'd never met before. She must be in her late 70s or early 80s and she speaks fairly broken English. She was so sweet and told me all about her life in the few minutes it took to load my groceries into the trunk of my SUV. She explained that when she came to America she didn't know that she could qualify for food stamps and other helps due to her husband's small income, so she had to get a job to help support her four children. She said she had great difficulty in finding a job because she spoke such limited English. The commissary hired her as a bagger and she worked there full-time every day and then would go home and make dinner for her family. She took some classes in English on base but just did not have time to do the homework between working and caring for her family.
Her children are all grown and live on their own now. One of her sons recently called her on her cell phone and asked her, "Mom, where are you all day?" When she told him she still works 8 hours everyday he asked her, "You have no-one at home to eat your cooking anymore. Why do you still work so hard?" She then went on to explain to me that she has 8 grandchildren and 1 grandchild and there is at least one birthday in her family nearly every month. By the time she has made any money at work a birthday comes around and she spends her earnings on the people she loves.
Her story and kindness really touched me. What a beautiful witness to the sacrificial love of a mother. I can't wait for another conversation with her.
Today I had a bagger I'd never met before. She must be in her late 70s or early 80s and she speaks fairly broken English. She was so sweet and told me all about her life in the few minutes it took to load my groceries into the trunk of my SUV. She explained that when she came to America she didn't know that she could qualify for food stamps and other helps due to her husband's small income, so she had to get a job to help support her four children. She said she had great difficulty in finding a job because she spoke such limited English. The commissary hired her as a bagger and she worked there full-time every day and then would go home and make dinner for her family. She took some classes in English on base but just did not have time to do the homework between working and caring for her family.
Her children are all grown and live on their own now. One of her sons recently called her on her cell phone and asked her, "Mom, where are you all day?" When she told him she still works 8 hours everyday he asked her, "You have no-one at home to eat your cooking anymore. Why do you still work so hard?" She then went on to explain to me that she has 8 grandchildren and 1 grandchild and there is at least one birthday in her family nearly every month. By the time she has made any money at work a birthday comes around and she spends her earnings on the people she loves.
Her story and kindness really touched me. What a beautiful witness to the sacrificial love of a mother. I can't wait for another conversation with her.
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