Snickers & More

Greg Aladine sourced this —-

“Where are those little baskets?” I asked the grocery worker.

“Right behind you, sir…” replied the slender employee with small dreadlocks, motioning toward the door I just walked thru.

“Oh man…” I laughed as I grabbed a basket…

“Right in front of my face- how’d I miss that?”

He simply smiled warmly

“Now you’re ready.”

I thanked him…

And with that… I walked to the produce area on the right to pick up a few items for a late dinner.

A moment later, at the checkout I was tempted to use a self-scanner.

But when I saw a light on- on aisle 4…

I headed over to investigate.

Sure enough- there was a cashier, chatting with the worker I had met moments earlier.

“Are you open?” I asked.

“Sure am,” she said.

I put my items on the belt as she began to scan.

And then I remembered something I watched my wife do a couple times that we’ve gone grocery shopping together.

It gets me every time.

“What’s your favorite candy bar?” I asked.

“Hmm… “ she said as she wisked a few items through.

“Kit Kat”

I motioned to the polite worker who had directed me to my to a basket.

“What about you?”

“I don’t really eat candy so much… but when I do it’s a Snickers.”

I turned around and grabbed a Snickers and Kit Kat from the checkout snack rack and placed them on the belt behind my basket.

The cashier gave me my total…

“These too…” I said, handing her the candy.

“Those are yours.”

They each burst into a smiles.

“You all deserve a break, right?” I asked.

“Right… haha. I see what you did there!!” the cashier said, laughing.

“Well you all are working hard, doing a great job.”

And they were.

Surprisingly- my eyes started to fill with tears.

Perhaps it was because it warmed my heart to see people working away without a complaint, wearing a smile.

But also perhaps because I was once again reminded…

When we give… no matter how small…

A smile, a positive word…

A candy bar.

It has a way of making us feel alive.

More connected to each other than we think.

I think that’s how God, the ultimate Giver, wired us, and designed the world.