Alone

I just ran into a friend from high school at Costco.  She is a girl who everyone made fun of because her name rhymed with something you wouldn't want it to rhyme with.  She changed her name sometime during our Junior year I think, but I noticed on her tag at Costco that she is back to her original name.  The employees there are probably a little more mature than our classmates. 

She hasn't ever married and she lives with her parents.  She seemed sad and so instead of just passing by and waving like I usually do, I stopped for a second to talk to her.

"How are you doing?" I asked.  She told me that she wasn't doing well.  "Don't you like your job?" I asked?  "No.  I wish I could retire. . . Actually, I just wish I could retire from life," she said.  "I just wish I could go back to high school.  Life was so great back then." 

I was surprised to hear her say that.  From my perspective, I would have thought she hated high school with all of the mean kids.  But that was the Best part of her life.  She asked me to pray for her and I said I would and hugged her and then she said her break was over. 

I walked out of Costco and realized I had a family to go home to.  I had three boys who would be needing me and happy to see me.  I had a husband whom I could go and talk to and kiss and go to bed with.  She had none of those things.  What did she have to look forward to at home?  Whom did she have?  Thankfully, she had her parents, but just about no one else. 

I had come to Costco with a heavy heart.  Somehow, I had imagined that I was having a rough day.  I hadn't gotten everything done.  I was frustrated with my lack of time.  I hadn't read my scriptures for a few days and the Spirit felt far away.  I felt lonely inside.  But as I left Costco, I realized I didn't know what lonely meant. 

The only thing to do is to love and to serve those around us and to realize that while we are playing and laughing and getting ready for Christmas traditions, there are others who don't have anyone to share Christmas with, no one to make 12 layer jello for. No one. 

 "When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?"