A Big Small Kindness

We were on our way to our daughter and son-in-law’s house one recent evening.  Andrea is struggling with pregnancy nausea.  I asked her if there was something that sounded good to her that we could pick up for supper.  She thought a Burger King Whopper like she had successfully eaten a couple days earlier would work.  

Aaron was going with us and was super excited at Andrea’s choice because a whopper always sounds great to him.  Including him in the supper plans was Aaron’s idea of a perfect plan!  

We went inside to pick up Andrea and Kyle’s order and to place our own.  Aaron was beyond excited, rubbing his hands together and rapidly placing his order before the attendant even had time to ask if he could help us.  

Now, in this moment I can gauge the mindset of workers in restaurants or stores as they encounter an exuberant Aaron.  Some are wary and curious about Aaron, unsure of how to interact with such unusual behavior from an almost 40-year-old balding grown man.  Others are calm and very friendly, with understanding exuding from their demeanor.

This young man behind the counter was the latter.  He was completely relaxed with Aaron, smiling and engaging him in friendly banter.  Aaron recognizes this attitude as well, though he could never sit down and explain it to us.  He just knew that this person was being nice to him, and he reacted with even more talking as he bent over and rubbed his hands together rapidly.  Someday I would not be too surprised to see smoke rising from his hands!

Then Aaron saw the paper Burger King crowns laying on the counter.

“Mom, can I get a crown for Ryker?” he loudly asked.

I said yes as I glanced at the worker.  

“Of course you can,” the young man happily said.  

“Can I have one, too?” Aaron asked.

“You bet!” our new friend replied.

Aaron placed the crown on his head.  Of course, it was too small.

“Here,” the young man said, “let me adjust that for you.”

He reached over the counter, took the crown, made it bigger and then placed it back on Aaron’s head.  

By this time, Aaron was doing his little happy hop, and I thought the kind worker might just join him.

Here was this guy with skull tattoos all up and down his arms, showing love to our Aaron, and I wanted to hug him, skulls and all.

He filled Andrea’s order for a slushy drink.  Aaron’s big eyes lit on that, and he wanted one as well.  I agreed, so our happy worker filled a cup for Aaron.

“Put your card away,” he said as I took out my debit card.  

He wouldn’t hear of me paying for Aaron’s drink.  

I looked into the eyes of our skull tattooed, rather rough looking worker, and saw kindness.

“You have a very kind heart,” I told him.  “Thank you so much.”

“Well, I try,” he replied.

Kindness certainly comes in all shapes, sizes and forms, doesn’t it? 

Aaron pretty much makes an impression everywhere he goes.  But so do those who reach out to him with love and acceptance.  Those people touch our lives more than they know.  

I am so grateful for the love these kind ones share with us as they interact with Aaron.  It’s a love that grows both in our hearts and with others.  

I have experienced great love shown to Aaron from some of the most surprising people.  Some of our Meals on Wheels clients, for instance, live in very difficult circumstances yet they show Aaron a sweet love that is beautiful to see every week.  

Our skull tattooed Burger King worker is not one who would necessarily be the person I would have picked to be such a blessing to us on that day, but he certainly was.  

It’s a huge reminder to me to not assume a person will behave in a certain way based on their looks.  

Sometimes those who may seem like the least according to the world’s standards end up being the ones who really do the most in the ways that count the most.

There’s no such thing as a small kindness in God’s eyes.  He sees each one as big.

And I’m so thankful for those big, small kindnesses in our life with Aaron!