Grace

Have you ever used or heard a word so many times it loses its meaning? They usually aren't complicated words with fifty sylabols they are simple words. Air, skunk, sky, is, float, hope and variety of others come to mind for me. What is mind blowing is when you lose the meaning and see whatever meaning you had challenged in some event that unfolds before your eyes.

The other day I was in a thrift store making a purchase. While walking to the counter a couple let me go in line ahead of them. I could tell they were confused about which line to get in and didn't have much money. They also didn't speak english and seemed to be having a tough time rounding their kids to the register.

As the cashier was checking out my purchases they knocked a vase off the counter and it shattered on the floor next to me. It was so loud the noise of it shattering could be heard through out the entire store! Instantly a variety of thoughts went through my mind like: You break what you buy, time to pay for it, and that will teach him to let his kids get out of control in a store! The man seemed to be wondering similar things as his brow furrowed and he looked at the cashier.

The cashier had a different perspective. In a still soft voice he said "It's okay man, mistakes happen. Don't worry about it we will clean it up.". His response almost startled me. It took time to let sink in what I just heard. I know I have said those same words myself when I was cleaning up for others or have heard others say those same words to me when I broke various items. They are unsettling and go against our natural idea that someone has to pay, someone has to account and make right what was wrong.

Those words that cashier uttered will ring through my head for a while when I am trying to define the word - Grace.