Cotton Candy Joy

By Kimberly Jensen

The line in the grocery store stood five deep as each mother waited her turn to place her purchases on the belt that carried them to the checker. Children of all various shapes, sizes, ages and races hung precariously over the side of the carts, under the carts and over the carts. I stood and smiled as I reveled in my freedom and thought of my precious darlings old enough to be left at home. The harried women tried to contain their brood, their groceries and their sanity among the bright lights and crowded aisles. Kids screamed, spit, bawled and begged. Then something two carts back caught my eye. An older mother was quietly talking to her preteen son as he held onto the cart with both hands. I watched as I saw her speak quiet words to the young man. "Stay right here. I'll be right back." She left him with the cart and walked away to get that last minute item that she forgot to put on her list. He stood there silently but with a smile on his face. The mother returned with two tubs of cotton candy and put them in the cart. "There I've got you your cotton candy," she said as she patted him on the back. She looked up and caught my eye. "He loves this stuff. He'll eat two of them in one sitting," she said smiling not worried about calories or sugar content or the latest news is on childhood nutrition. This mother was just bringing a bit of cotton candy joy to her blind son. He didn't ask for it but she knew the things that brought him joy. Do you know what brings real joy to those around you?