I posted a while back about waiting in line at Home Depot. Yesterday, I waited in another line. It went differently. I was in a Dollar Tree and there were a few people in line. I looked to see if any other registers were open. Two other employees were standing at the last register, but it was not open to customers. I joined the line and listened to the cashier speak to her customer. She was a lovely young woman, and she was so kind in her attention to the customer she was chatting with and doing her job efficiently at the same time. The line started to get long, and the other employees seemed oblivious to her needs.

She got on the overhead speaker to call for help, and the other two employees that were significantly older than her ignored her cries for help and went to the back of the store. Shortly after, they both went outside the front to have their smoke break. As this was going on, a woman in the line behind me was loudly talking about how they ‘left her out to dry’. You could see that anxiety and frustration begin to build in this young woman. She felt humiliated.

When it was my turn, I told her that she was doing great, to just take her time, no one is angry with her. She told me in frustration that they did this to her all of the time. She knew that within the hour, she would be asked to work a longer shift and she knew that she would say yes to help pay for her college tuition. But she did not like how they took advantage of her and ignored her. I asked her what she is studying in school. She told me. This young woman will go on to do GREAT things.

Right now, she is going through the hard times of struggle and sacrifice. There are huge blessings coming her way. She was even able to see the blessing of working a longer day in an environment that did not value her. She saw the financial blessings that would help her pay for college which would in turn give her an opportunity to help others. This young woman will move on from this toxic work environment at some point. She will bless others with the education that it helped to pay for. I’m excited for her.

As I left the store, one of the workers was coming back inside. I mentioned that things were getting a little intense and she needed help. The worker responded, I’m on my break. It broke my heart for this girl. It showed me how true her words were that she was undervalued, and they could care less.

My quiet daughter was with me. She didn’t understand what had been said. It was a good opportunity for me to show her how hard the working world can be. I asked her, which worker will you be? The ones that were unkind and uncaring and abandoned their co-worker or the one that gathered themselves to stand strong when things get hard and endure to the end. She really thought this through.

She tried to understand if they are on a break, they should have their break. I told her that breaks are supposed to be measured out so that no one is left alone to do all of the work. They should not have taken a break together. And if there is a problem, the break needs to be put on hold and then resumed when everything is good again.

Eventually she was able to see that the young woman was doing her best in a very difficult situation. I wish that I could let this young woman know that she is a warrior. All of the while that she had been left to deal with the entire store, utterly alone, she chose to respond to the customers with kindness. She continued to do her job to the best of her ability. All with a heavy heart. I’m so proud of her.

This isn’t her forever. As she continues to work hard and study hard, she will forget all about those days. Her thoughts will be looking forward as to how to help those in her care. When we choose to look at how to serve others, we forget about our problems to help them. That always feels good.

Yesterday, I was frustrated with the contentions between my children in our home. I was frustrated. Kids were frustrated. We needed time apart. I went outside and called a friend that had been struggling over the weekend. She was doing much better, and it was a wonderful phone call. It was healing for me to know that she was in a happier mind set and we were able to have a great conversation.

Then I came inside to eat dinner and read scriptures as a family. The scriptures we studied were amazing. Great things can come from really bad situations. God gives us great power. We can overcome really hard situations. That doesn’t mean it will be easy. That doesn’t mean that we will be happy about it. But it does mean that healing can and will come. We have to decide to allow it. Giving ourselves to Him brings great healing and great blessings. But it is our choice.

What will you choose? Misery, anger, hurt, loss of God or will you choose patience, faith, seeing the blessings in the small details, and eventually endure to the greater blessings that are sure to come. Either choice is hard. Only one choice brings relief. I have learned this over and over again. I’m still learning it.