Nearsighted Angel.

So far, today has been one of those exhasperating days that has knocked the wind out of me like a freight train. A freight train filled with elephants. And cruise ship anchors. And other... really... um, heavy things.

You get the point.

I haven't had a day like this in a really long time. So, I guess I can at least look at that and be really, really grateful. It seems like these days used to be the majority- and when life was full of days like today, life was not so great.

I almost forgot about our checkup at the pediatrition's this morning, and had to rush out of the house in such a hurry that it's a wonder that I remembered to shut the front door behind me. The second we pulled into the parking lot (right on time!), Ezra started screaming his face off. (I had to put it back on 3 times before we got to the office door, I swear!) It seems he can recognize the doctor's office on sight now, and he has logged the image away in his brain under the category of "Third Ring of Hell." We were there for a super quick checkup on his ears after his recent ear infection, but his screaming made the visit feel like it was 8 hours long. His ears are fine... just somewhat waxy still.

After the doctor's visit, I needed to go grocery shopping.

Ezra was fuh-reaking out in the cart the entire time I tried to shop. Nothing could entertain him. Nothing could quiet him. Everyone stared. I was that mom. Somewhere between the olive oil and the chips, I almost completely lost my mind. You know this feeling? I felt anger swell up in me and I just wanted to scream, but I couldn't so I bit down hard on my lip instead. I had terrible thoughts of wondering why the heck I had wanted to be a mom in the first place and I was practically in tears because I was so mad and agitated.

**Enter Angel from the Outfield, stage left**

Just when I was seeing red and Ezra was attempting to fling himself out of the cart, I noticed a lady waving at me from a few yards away.

"Hi!", she said.

I just smiled at her and said hello back while trying desperatley to place her face. I had no idea who she was.

She got closer and then suddenly said, "Oh! You're not who I thought you were... I'm so sorry- I have a friend that looks just like you and your son looks just like her son. How strange! I'm so sorry!"

Of course I told her it wasn't a problem and inside I was thinking how I was quite relieved to have escaped one of those awkward situations where you can't remember a person for the life of you, but they seem to think of you as an intimate bosom friend.

This woman was very firendly anyways, and she started talking to Ezra and he calmed down just long enough to throw her a "Who the heck are you?" look, and within that short 30 second interaction, I was able to step back from the ledge and gather my thoughts enough to finish up my shopping and get the ornery child home.

Isn't it funny how something as tiny as a woman waving to the wrong person in a grocery store can have such large effects? Can snap someone back into reality and perspective without her having any idea of her beautiful mistake?

Of course, now I'm thinking this random lady might have seen the look of quiet desperation in my eyes (not to mention the flailing toddler in my cart) and known that a distraction was just what I needed to pull me back to earth. Maybe she'd had her share of 'ledge moments' and was kind enough to reach out to a perfect stranger in an unobtrusive and clever way.

Or... maybe she just needs to get her eyes checked.