the kindness of strangers

I like to think about the human spirit. You know, the things that make us tick. I write about it often, as you know, and something happened at our house this past weekend that reassured me of the goodness in people.  Sometimes, in this house, I feel like I’m teetering right on the edge of something.  Like I could maybe snap at any given moment just because there isn’t a clean swimsuit for Zoe in the middle of January.  Or because I decide to spend an hour cooking something specifically for the kids only to have them tell me it smells stinky.  Or just because it’s Thursday.  And lately I’ve noticed that I’m a bit socially awkward.  Probably those who knew me a while back will be as surprised at that little realization as I was – what happened to the girl who didn’t know a stranger and was out and about all the time?  Sometimes I just don’t know if I like people anymore.

And so, when my husband told me that he had invited his friend Warren over for dinner, I’m not going to lie, I was a little…well.  I was mostly neutral about it.  As I get older, I find the thought of meeting new people and the “getting to know you” chit chat just plain overwhelming.  Good Lord, I sound like a hot mess.  Anyway, Warren had been asking if he could bring us dinner – just because.  And I’m all, “why would anyone want to do that for us?” and in true form, I had to second-guess everything.  On Sunday, he did, indeed, bring us dinner.  It was delicious.  And all he asked in return was to sit and talk with us and enjoy our kids.  After they asked Warren about their mutual love of Iron Man and told him what zombies eat (brains, duh) and offered him multiple slices of chocolate bikini cake (or chocolate zucchini cake if you’re not three) the girls scooted off to color and we got to sit and chat – like real adults!  And I have to say that I’m so glad I didn’t say no to having him over.  It isn’t often that it happens, but once in a while you meet a person who is just plain good.  Not good for any reason other than just having a good soul.  A person who wants to come over and bring a meal, and then books for the girls – in both English and French, and then writes a thank you note. TO US.  It was a while after Warren left that night when I realized that the human spirit I like to think about had just slapped me upside my head and said, “HEY! Quit doubting me, lady!”