The Long Trail of Love that Leads to Where We Are

EA teaches high school and therefore usually leaves our house before the sun is up. Since she has to be awake at such an ungodly hour, every morning she goes to Chick-fil-A to get a large Coca-Cola. The employee that regularly brings out EA’s Coke is a woman by the name of Monica. Over the last several years, EA and Monica have become pretty good friends one drive-thru at a time. EA has made Monica birthday presents and has said that Monica’s kindness has helped her on many a difficult day.

EA is heading out of town after school for a few days. She woke up the boys a little earlier this morning to tell them goodbye before she left. Then I got them moving to get ready for school. Our youngest started strong with his routine, but the thought of not seeing his mom until the end of the week began to take its toll. It was a struggle to get Liam into the car and even then he was scared that he wouldn’t be able to go to school.

I had told the boys the night before that we would get Chick-fil-A breakfast as a treat since Mom was going out of town. In the drive-thru line, Liam looked like he was about to jump out of the car and run home. We pulled up to the window and who was there but Monica. She smiled warmly at Liam and reached through to give him a five. A minute later, she came back out and brought a cookie for both Liam and his brother before going back inside.

Liam’s whole demeanor transformed in that moment. He took a deep breath and said with quiet confidence, “Okay, I’ll go to school.” And he did. I smiled at him as I tried really hard not to let out a whoop of joy. When Monica brought out what we ordered, I smiled and thanked her as I usually do. Then I said, “God bless you,” which is not something that I normally say to people. But I said it because I sure hope that God does bless her. We were definitely blessed through her. I don’t think Monica realizes how much that simple act of kindness turned around Liam’s day, my day, and the day of her friend who was nervously awaiting the Brooklyn Nine-Nine gif that signals that her little boy went to school.

Knowing the relationship that EA has with Monica and how much EA adores her sons, that moment in the drive-thru line as a beautiful sight to see. Who would have thought that moment of grace would have started with a teacher and a Chick-fil-A server striking up a conversation way too early one morning? How lucky we are when we get to see the long trail of love that leads to where we are.