Hugging Strangers in the Produce Aisle

I hugged a complete stranger in the produce section at HyVee this evening.  Lydia and I were grocery shopping and getting some lemons when a lady approached us.  She commented on Lydia's hair and told me how beautiful she is.  Then, she asked if that was a trach.  I was a little taken aback because most people either exit the conversation when they notice it or just don't mention it.  I replied that it was a trach.

The stranger lady went on to ask questions about how old Lydia is and why she has it.  We discussed her heart surgeries, gtube and airway issues.  She then went on to tell me that her adult daughter has spina bifida and was close to getting a trach when she was a baby.  Her daughter recently received her Masters Degree in Mathematics.  She's very qualified for many jobs and isn't getting them.  The stranger lady is afraid it's due to her wheel chair and what may look like very obvious ADA and FMLA issues to an employer.

The stranger lady asked if I am taking care of myself and finding time for me.  I replied that I think I am, some weeks more than others.  She told me to remember to do that because it's what is best for Lydia.  I will be a better mother to her if I remember me now and then.  She wished us well, tickled Lydia's toe and gave me a hug.  I found myself embracing this lady in front of the lemons like she was my longtime friend or family.  It was a weird awkward hug.  It was a real hug.  It felt completely right.

I really believe that everything happens for a reason, that we don't meet people by chance and that we are only given what we can handle.  This is a perfect example of all that.  I may never see her again.  I don't know her name.  I just know that she will think of me and Lydia and I will think of her and not forget our hug.