i was there for a reason

A couple days ago I was standing in line at what seems like the ONLY post office thats open after 10 am on base. When i first walked in I looked at the massive amount of customers who were already waiting for their turn to send last minute christmas gifts to their loved ones. I wasn't the least bit excited to stand there and wait. I mean there was only one person behind the counter. I was actually there on behalf of a friend. But needless to say a waited it out. It actually wasn't to bad of a wait, being the fact that i was occupied in my thoughts. I get up to the counter pay for my package and the woman at the counter tells me to go crazy on the packaging tape and then just cut back in line to give her back my box. So I take this package and begin to go completely overboard with the packaging tape. I turn to my right and I start laughing because there is an elderly woman looking at me like I am psycho. I just told her that I went a little happy with the tape and she in turn gives me an awkward smile. You know one of those I have know idea what your saying but i'll just smile and nod. She thens asks me if i spoke spanish, I said yes. Then she proceeds to tell me about her son. She tells me about how he just died and she misses him. She then gives me the advice of not taking life for granted, that I should take it for all it is; no holding back. At this time she is crying and I have no idea what to do. What the stink do you say to someone who is hurting, someone who lost their child? I just embrace her and she cried.

After we let go of eachother i tell her that she is stronger than she knows and God bless her.I wish i could have conversated with her more but I needed to go. My mind just raced. I have never been put in this sort of position. and the situation played through my head ever since then. I know that God put me there to show her love. To help her in the little way that I could, to listen to her.

I take my box back up to the counter and realize I would have never gotten that experience is I decided not to wait just a few more minutes or if I didn't need to tape up my box. It will certainly be an ecounter i will never forget.