“Do you need some help?” I asked her.  She said, “Well, I thought I could do this.  But if you could just help me to the curb,” she started, “that would be helpful.”  I didn’t hesitate.  Turning so that we could walk shoulder to shoulder, I lifted my arm up slightly and said, “If you need me to guide you…” 

I wasn’t sure yet if she needed me to assist her with walking, but when she grabbed my hand I knew it was not a coincidence that we met.  “I picked lucky today,” I could hear her softly say to herself as she held my hand.  

It was only a few feet that we had to go, but with whatever condition she had, it was keeping her at a slow pace.  “When I work with preschoolers,” I shared, “I get to hold hands several times a day.  It’s a nice feeling when the kids reach for my assistance.”  She smiled. 

I could see that getting to the curb wasn’t all the help this woman might need; getting to it, up it, and into the postal place was going to take a bit of motor planning.  She had a cane but was relying fully on my direction and my pace.  “I have other errands,” I started, “but I don’t need to run off to them right away.  Do you want me to stay with you…so I can walk you back to your car when you’re done here?”  We paused at the curb and dropped hands so that I could open the door.  That’s when I saw a gentleman come up behind us.  Winking at me, and not in a condescending or gross way, he reached for the door also and held it open for the woman.  The postal store clerk, who had helped me just a few minutes earlier, also made her way toward the entrance of the store where we were all now standing.

Waving at us, the store clerk smiled.  The older woman replied, “No, I think I’ll be okay…if I can just step up the curb with you…I should be fine.”  I said her, “I don’t mind waiting, unless the young gal in the store can maybe walk you to the car?” The young gal smiled again and indicated that she could.  Just a few more steps, slow ones and labored ones for the older woman, she made it to her destination.  She gushed as she thanked me and the man behind us.  I told her it was perfect timing that we ran into each other.  “I’m so glad I got to help you.  I hope the rest of your afternoon is good.”  I wanted to skip to my car.  Had my kids not been home that afternoon, I never would have been in that parking at that time of day.  What a treat to be able to help a stranger who needed assistance.  

I got my other errands done pretty quickly and headed back home.  Ronan’s little brother sent a message that all was good back at the house and that I didn’t need to rush back.  All I wanted was to be back home with my family.  Some days, I can’t do what I need to do.  Other days, because of how much the kids can still pitch in, I get to do something so simple like mail a package.  It’s those simple little things that help my world go round.  

How about you?  What keeps you hopeful?  Who put a smile on your face last week?  Who picked you to be their lucky helper?  I hope whoever it was carried the bit of peace you gave them long after you shared it with them.

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.