No Thank You - I"m Okay

Ever notice how often we turn down help? Maybe it's a Mom thing. We're used to getting by on our own. Even when our hands and plates are clearly full. Just like a Mom will keep plugging away when they don't feel good. If they don't do it - who will? Of course, there are some who go to bed for a week with the teeniest of colds, aches and pains. They usually aren't the Mom's of the world.

I was observing a young Mother at the grocery store today. She had three young kids and a cart full of groceries. Add coats, hats, gloves and a crying toddler. I remember those days of trying to get through a store without a child crying or merchandise being broken.

As she made her way out to her car, I asked if I could help her in any way get her groceries loaded. The sad part is most people would be (and perhaps we should be) leery of a stranger approaching them in a parking lot. Hopefully, I did not present an obvious risk. Her response was quite like mine would have been. No thank you - I'm Okay.

Yes, we can juggle groceries, cranky kids, carts and cars. Sometimes though we don't have to. And then, I hope we/you/me can be open to helping hands that suddenly present themselves.