My eyes opened at 7:00 am sharp but I was exhausted. I shut my eyelids and tried to go back to sleep. However, my effort to get more rest was futile.

Seconds after I got up to start the laundry, my phone rang.

Who in the world would be calling me at 7:30 on a Saturday morning? I wondered.

It was a Shoprite from home associate, updating on the status my order.

Well, I guess I definitely won’t be going back to sleep now, I thought. My delivery will be here in two hours.

At 9:30 sharp, Denise knocked on my front door. She was a little woman, far more slight than I consider myself. I felt bad watching her lug bag after bag up the 12 stairs to my front door. 10 bags and two cases later, she was done placing my order at my doorstep. I jogged, or at least moved as fast as I could, upstairs and grabbed cash.

“Thank you for providing this service,” I said. “It’s very helpful to people like me who don’t walk unassisted or can’t carry heavy things.”

Denise looked at the money in her hand and said, “Now, I can get my baby a haircut.”

I didn’t think giving her five dollars in cash would have such an impact.

As Denise drove away, I noticed she inadvertently gave me another customers bag. So, I called the number I had and asked her to return to my home.

“Thank you for this ma’am,” Denise said. “It could’ve cost me my job. I can’t thank you enough.”

“No problem,” I said, uncomfortable with her overwhelming gratitude. “I saw there was espresso in the bag. As a coffee person, I know I’d be upset if mine was missing.”

She’s a nice lady, I thought. I wouldn’t want her to get in trouble for a minor mistake. I simply helped her as she helped me.

Read days 1-55: https://nikabeamon.com

#DoUntoOthers #kindness #spoonies #autoimmunedisease #invisibleillness #chronicillness #chronicpain #disability #2018 #joythroughthepain #Shoprite