Portraits of Humanity

I watched an old man creep across the entrance
Taking his time, no need to rush
He raised one gnarled hand and placed a penny
Into the brightly colored collection box
That touted labels that it was for the children.

He watched the coin with childlike anticipation
As it spun around the plastics loops
And wound its way to through the maze of color
Until it came to rest with a chink at the bottom.
He still stood there and he looked as though he were somewhere else.
Somewhere I couldn’t go, somewhere very far away.

My gaze was then distracted by the sound of a child’s laugh
And I turned to a see a pretty young woman
Pushing a child in a buggy across the store.
She would speed up and then slow down
Only to speed up again,
And the baby laughed and laughed.

And they were both unconscious to any looks
They might be getting and they were oblivious to me
Though I walked but a few feet away.
But at the last moment the mother looked up at me
And she smiled the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen
As if to give me a little piece of the joy that filled her eyes.
Then they both continued on their way.

And for a brief second, I met God there.
In the middle of a store, walking an aisle,
Basket thrown absently over my arm.
“See how I love them.”

And in that moment I was struck (and I know this might seem odd)
By just how much God really did love them, and how much I loved them too
These strangers who I never met, and if I passed them tomorrow
I probably would not even give them another glance.

But still I loved them. They were imperfect and tired
Happy and simple, but they were so unbelievably…human.
Yes, their humanity shown through so brightly and it was,
I believe, undeniably good. Flawed maybe…but not evil.

The old man, and the young women and the child.
These pictures of humanity painted in front of my eyes
These random encounters…but maybe not so random at all
A little glimpse of heaven’s love tucked away in the hidden corners of my heart

“Yes, Lord, I see…I think I love them too.”