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A Litte Girl Taught Me The True Meaning of Care

Wesley Reader
2 min readDec 18, 2024

Lessons in Care from Unexpected Places

A picture of a little girl crying.

I was not expecting to cry in the middle of the grocery store, but life has a way of surprising you. It was a rainy Tuesday evening, and the store was crowded with people rushing to get home before the storm got worse. My mind was on autopilot, going over my mental list of dinner ingredients, when I noticed her—a little girl standing near the bread aisle, clutching a carton of milk. Her wide eyes darted nervously as she looked around the crowd.

At first, I did not think much about it. Perhaps her mother was nearby, comparing brands or speaking with a friend. But as the minutes passed, her posture stiffened, and her expression shifted from nervous to panicked. Something was wrong.

I knelt down to her level and softly inquired, "Are you okay, sweetie? Did you lose anyone? She nodded quickly, her little face crumpling as tears streamed down. Between sobs, she managed to say, "I can not find my mother."

Everything else faded away in that moment—the storm outside, my grocery list, and even the long line at the checkout. What mattered was the terrified little girl who needed assistance. I assured her that we would find her mother and escorted her to the customer service desk. Along the way, I inquired about her favorite snacks…

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Wesley Reader
Wesley Reader

Written by Wesley Reader

Acclaimed writer known for evocative storytelling and rich character development. My writing is characterized by lyrical prose and insightful exploration…

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