Pregnant

Took a walk to work on the kink in my knee and to get something at a convenience store.

Wonderful weather as in low humidity, gentle breeze, warm not hot and quiet.

I ambled down the street with my walking stick as a woman in a wheelchair hailed me across the street.  She declared it was good to have a stick if you need it.   Her demeanor was gentle and cheerful.

I answered yes and each day is a gift.

She agreed.  No sign that she 'accepted' her lot.  Just that she made the most of it.

I reached the store which was busy in the afternoon.  I held the door for a young woman who thanked me and I said she was welcome.

I headed to the back of the store to get a soda.  I found them, grabbed a bottle and tured.  Just as I did, I poked a clerk who was arranging merchandise.

I apologized effusely, asking if she was alright. 

She cheerfully assured me she was as I headed down the nearby aisle.  I was navigating round some folks getting cold drinks when I almost collided headon with the girl for whom I held the door earlier.

Again apology and assurance she was ok.

I rounded the corner and got in a ragtag line for checkout.

I was right behind a pregnant young woman who was called back to the drink aisle.

It was frenetic in the front of the store but not at all rude.

I determined to keep the pregnant woman's place for her.

She quickly returned and said to go ahead, even though I insisted she take her previous place.  So I did and she was behind me.

I made my purchase and the clerk, though harried, was pleasant and I wished her a good evening.  I got my soda and went out the door.

I remembered how graceful the pregnant lady was as she had turned to the drink aisle.  She had her hand on her tummy as she went back.

It was a small thing.  I note the qualities of people wherever I go, whatever I'm doing.  It just struck me as a gesture of consciousness and humanity amongst the other little events that day.

The whole thing reminded me of the musical ending to the X-Files ep Improbable where folks were similarly interacting and seemed to dance and sing as the camera panned out with people segueing to lights, cities, the world and Burt Reynolds face formed from it as God.

Silly?  Maybe.  But it was a peaceful moment in a world beset with chaos.

Pregnant with real hope that humanity makes it.

God bless her and the baby, all of them, all of us.