The things that we say and do greatly impact how others feel. It can even influence how they view themselves.

Our words and our actions matter. Time and time again we’re told, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

Unfortunately, words can hurt and, in fact, they often do.

It might be cliche to some but it perhaps it isn’t stated enough, “Be kind to someone today.”

Really. Be kind.

A woman named Lindsay takes this saying to heart. As a foster mom, she knows the importance of kindness, generosity, and patience.

That is why when she overheard a nasty couple making comments about a woman in a Walmart checkout line, struggling with her foster kids, she decided to share the experience on Facebook.

It all began when she was “sandwiched” in the checkout line at a Walmart between a woman and her foster children and a couple behind her. The couple had a lot to say about the woman and her children.

“The woman in front of me had 5 children she was wrangling (which did not seem odd to me), as well as the fact that the children were a mix of Caucasian and Hispanic short people. (again hmph…didn’t notice until it was pointed out to me). Yes, I said pointed out.”

This is when she began hearing what the couple behind her had to say about the woman and her children.

“How many baby daddies do you think she has?”
“Can’t even dress those kids for weather.”
“Just wait until she whips out the food stamps.”

Two of the children appeared to be her biological children while the other three didn’t.

“I looked forward to see a woman fumbling with separating clothes items; coats and shoes socks and underwear from the food items with the black plastic separators.”

“There (were) five kids, two that shared her same blonde hair with jackets and warm shoes and three, beautifully dark-haired and deep brown eyes, sad, eyes; wearing shorts, and flip flops.”

The couple behind her continued speaking negatively about the woman struggling with the card that she was trying to use.

“There’s our tax dollars neatly at work,” they said.

This is when Lindsay stepped in and offered her help.

“I stepped forward and kindly said, ‘Can I help? These things are so confusing.’ She looked at me. I quietly asked, ‘Foster or Adopted? I have 9 kiddos…two bio, I get it, please let me help.'”

“She smiled embarrassed, ‘New Foster Mom, this is my first time using one of these, they came 3 days ago, gonna be with us for a while. They gave us food, but the kids needed clothes, but no stipend has come through yet.'”

Lindsay went on to show the woman how to use the card and helped her checkout.

“She handed each child a new coat loaded up her cart as she left I side hugged her and told her, ‘You have got this.'”

After the woman and her children left, Lindsay decided to give the couple behind her a piece of her mind.

“Those children? They lost the right to live with their parents just days ago, those clothes? Probably the only clothes they own, or got to leave their home with. THAT woman? Opened her home to kids, kids that needed a safe place to go, when the one they lived in no longer proved safe enough or secure enough for them. The food stamps, something health and welfare helps an already mother to two feed three new mouths. There are not nearly enough women or people like her this world.”

The couple snorted. But she wasn’t finished yet.

“AND even IF those kids were all hers, and she had a dozen “baby daddies” and was on food stamps..no child in this country or any other deserves to be cold or hungry, I am sorry, but your behavior? Poorly done, VERY poorly done.”

The couple left the line and went into another.

To Lindsay’s surprise, after checking out, the cashier acknowledged her for speaking out as she is a mother receiving aid herself.

“What you said? Rocked.”

Lindsay thanked her and told the woman to hug her children when she got home. When she arrived at her car, she couldn’t help but break down once she was inside.

She closed the post with:

“You foster mama’s out there…hold your heads high, you are the hands and hearts that are the strong and the steady for small ones when they need it most. Hats off and so much love today to you.”

Much love to you, Lindsay.

You can read the post in its entirety, here.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Sources: Facebook, Parenting Isn’t Easy