Since my geographically closest child lives in the cities I went there for Mother's day. (Actually, I went for several reasons but the location part remains true) and I was treated to heart shaped pancakes for breakfast as we planned our day.
We decided to go to Piper's downtown campus for church and then head to the Guthrie and pick up "rush" tickets for "Midsummer Night's Dream." That has been one of our favorite plays from school days. I think the kids can all still remember their lines.
Everything goes as planned. We wait in line....a slow going line that inches up every few minutes. The three of us enjoy visiting as we wait. After about 20 minutes a woman comes up to us and asks if we are here for Mother's day. We are a bit startled at the question and look at her with one of those tilted head pauses while we replay the question in our heads. "Yes," we answer. We are here for mother's day. It is then I notice a young boy in a t-shirt behind her. He is slowly inching his way backward away from all of us as he steps in retreat.
The woman then reveals in her hand a long chain of tickets. As she unfolds them she tells us, "I was coming here with my sister and mother for Mother's day. My mom died a few months ago. My sister and I just can't go without her. We are still too sad. Will you please take these tickets and enjoy the show? Think of Elaine." We are speechless. We girls then burst into tears and give her a hug and thank her. We tell her how sorry we are and then thank her again. In a moment we see her walk out the door with the young boy running to catch up behind her. She never looked back.
We stood frozen for a few moments and then looked down at the tickets. The tickets were main floor, $54.00 each. We realize she must have watched the line for some time to choose a group of three to give the tickets to. We realize she had to come down to the theater to give them to someone. We realize she could have just let them sit unused. We realize she could have turned them back into the box office. We realize she blessed us through her sadness and tragedy. How amazing is that.
It was a great show. Our seats were wonderful. Thank you sweet lady. I hope I never forget what gift you shared with us that day. It was so much more than the tickets.
2 comments:
Well, you have got me crying here.
That is so amazing. Talk about paying it forward. What a neat story. Don't you wish that you could find her somehow and just do something nice anonymously?
Oh, I found you. I had to search through my comments to find you. Are you going to make this invite only??
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