Hello, Beautiful

To the girl I wish I’d met at the grocery store today

I was wearing jeans shorts, t-shirt and flip flops, my blonde hair curled and falling around my shoulders, sunglasses on my head

Between boys’ soccer practices, I saw you walking into Kroger

You were wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a fierce determination I could see even behind your oversized shades, your dark hair pulled back in a low pony

I could tell you knew exactly what you came here for, your speed walk was familiar

I watched you trip over your own feet in the middle of the main front entrance, recover, and keep walking like nothing happened

I wasn’t laughing at you, swear it was with you, it made my heart smile to see you

I followed behind you through the door, you didn’t get a cart even though you should’ve

You hung a left, likewise

Then a right, yep me too

I lost you, grabbed a handful of my list, arms too full, should’ve grabbed a cart

I chuckled when I passed you with your too many items to carry, and noticed none of them were the same as mine

That would’ve been too weird, I thought

I grabbed one last item and opted out of another

I didn’t see you on my way to the register, but I thought of you and wondered if I’d see you leaving

You have too much to do to fuck around

Get in, get your shit, get out

I speed walked to the check out and self scanned in a hurry

As I grabbed my bags and turned, you saw me powering toward the exit that I was about to beat you to

I smiled inside and out as you followed behind me out the door, shook my head and chuckled out loud

Cause I got it, whatever chaos you’re going through and how hard you fight to hold it all together

Yeah, I get it

And while thinking of how I wished I would’ve said hello to you, in the middle of the main exit, I tripped over my own feet, recovered, and kept walking like nothing happened

I hope you laughed when you saw me, as clumsy as you, not at me, but with me

Whatever it is that your going through, however busy you are, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 jobs, in the middle of a painfully ugly divorce, you’ve already washed dishes twice today, been to the store twice today, doctored a sick kid, spoken to lawyers, worked your ass off at your job, and your day is only half begun, only half over, pick up from practice, home for dinner and homework and showers, and more dishes and more laundry and attention deprived puppies, the morning will bring a repeat of the same, beginning with 3 alarms – one to snooze, one for me, one to wake up the boys for school, the fourth alarm is to leave the house for work, back to the grind tomorrow

You know I see you? And I know you’re sorry about all the things you’re not doing… Calling your friends enough, going to church enough, eating healthy enough, making enough money, spending enough time with family while you’re still blessed to have it, you worry about your babies, and being on time, and cooking dinner, and keeping all your shit together when it’s all falling apart

I see you, I think you’re amazing, “Hello, Beautiful.”