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I had been running errands, grocery shopping, to the dry cleaners, and to the bakery. I finally got home, put the groceries away, and hung up my dry cleaning. Sitting at my kitchen table, I realized I needed bread. To make matters worse, I had passed the bakery on my way home.

I looked over a sweet potato recipe that I had seen online. I decided to try it this evening with salmon. [ prepped the salmon and put it in the refrigerator to marinate. I place the washed sweet potato on an iron grilling plate to bake. It would take an hour or more to be fully baked.

I jumped in my car and headed for the bakery, which was 10 minutes away. There was only one woman in the store when I arrived. I picked up a loaf of Jewish rye bread and a bag of Ginger Snap cookies, a childhood favorite.

As I stepped up to the counter, the clerk repeated what she had told the previous customer. She informed me that the system that processed card payments was down. I thanked her and reached to grab my wallet.

I jokingly said to her, “Fortunately, I have cash; I usually don’t carry any.” As she completed my transaction, I started to talk about how expensive everything was. She then started to share her circumstances with me.

She had to work 30 hours a week to receive state assistance for living expenses. She was working 16 hours/ week at the bakery. For the other 14 hours, she was an Uber driver.

I blurted out, “How do you make any money with the cost of gas?” She said things had been tough for her since the increase in gas prices. In fact, her whole paycheck from Uber last week had gone for gas.

As if that wasn’t enough, she had a bakery card and was planning to buy some food there, but the card system was down.

I immediately heard a voice saying, “Help her.” A voice that I had heard since I was a teenager. I always knew it was my Guardian Angel. No one else was in the store. I told her, “I will give you some money.” She replied that she was being watched and couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to lose her job. She nodded at the camera. I said I suppose there are cameras outside? Yes, she said.

I asked her what time she got off, and she said 5:00 pm. I started home, thinking about how I could help her.

I sat on my front porch trying to find a way to help her without putting her job in jeopardy. I came up with a plan. If she got off at five, that meant 5:30. Most hourly employees have to work an additional 30 minutes to cover lunch break.

I went to my freezer, and I had chicken breast, three in a pack. Also, two one-pound packages of ground beef. I grabbed one of each and put them in a bag. I also placed a $20.00 bill in an envelope.

I waited until 5:15 and then headed to the bakery. I drove into the parking lot and stopped. I pulled out my phone and pretended to be talking to someone. Two cars were in the parking lot: a sporty, sleek-looking car and an older van.

I left the parking lot and found a spot across the street with a view of it. The owner of the sports car came out and pulled off at 5:35 pm. I waited, watching for her van to pull out.

Finally, at 6 p.m., I started the drive home. Her car was still in the lot as I drove by. I wondered if she was out of gas. I felt sad, wiping tears away as I thought I couldn’t help her. I also thought about other people who were in her predicament. She is single, with no children, but has a mental health condition.

At the same time, I felt angry that she has to struggle just to exist day to day, while the millionaires and billionaires in this country get richer. I’m not rich, but if I can help someone with their struggle to survive, I will always choose to do so!! How will you respond when your Guardian Angel reaches out to you?

Until next time,

Peace, Love, and Blessings ❤️