What You Give

I knew it had to be bad. I saw the runny mascara and generally disheveled appearance of my dear forever mom as she came home, and something told me something pretty terrible happened. She didn’t seem herself the rest of the day, in spite of dear baby Carter and his good spirits. It turns out I was right, though this is a case I wished so badly to be wrong. 

I listened in horror as she recounted the tale to dad later today, and it all made (hearatbreaking) sense.

I knew she worked extra hard this week. I watched her set aside time with dad at night so she could work instead. All so she could take Carter swimming this afternoon at a local workout place. She looked forward to it all week.

So when she called this morning to confirm “free Fridays” was still happening and was told that didn’t apply to our closest location she was devastated. I listened as she talked with the lady on the phone, who encouraged her to still come in and apply for a scholarship so it wouldn’t be so expensive to join. Mom’s eyes (and heart) lit up at the idea.

Off she and Carter went, and all too soon they returned.

Apparently the people charged with greeting and welcoming members and visitors were not feeling very welcoming today. They turned up their noses at my mom when she asked to apply for a scholarship, and made her feel stupid for thinking she could apply and swim the same day.

“All I wanted to do was take my son swimming today,” she told them. No such luck. Instead, she found herself crying on a bench outside the facility for all to see because she simply didn’t care.

As if it wasn’t hard enough for her to pack things up and head over there feeling all pregnant and huge (her words, not mine). Not to mention how hard it can be to ask for help, especially financially. Still, she was “greeted” with nothing but snickers and rude behavior.

I knew it must have been bad when they came home so soon. And when I saw the tell-tale mascara smears, well, that told me all I really needed to know. People are jerks sometimes. For whatever reason, they say awful and hurtful and terrible things. I don’t know why.

What I do know is things have a way of balancing out. Mom will be okay. She’s too strong to let any of this bother her for too long. I’m not a vengeful dog by any means, but I can’t help but think this is a case when the golden rule has been broken. And you get what you give.

Just because our forever family chooses to give love and joy doesn’t mean that’s everyone else’s first choice. And that’s fine. Because ultimately it’s their loss.

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