It was a Tuesday afternoon and my daughter and I were on our weekly shopping trip to Aldi. While waiting to pay for our groceries a friendly lady, with only a few items in her cart, joined us in line. She smiled sweetly and commented on my daughter’s cuteness and good behavior. Since we had a cart full of groceries I motioned for her to go in front of us. She graciously thanked us and approached the cashier. She appeared to be a local celebrity because the cashier, along with the rest of the workers, seemed to know who she was and she was greeted with smiles, friendly waves and hugs! As my daughter and I were bagging our groceries the lady thanked us once again for letting her go ahead of us and asked, “Can your daughter have candy?” Although I was taught to never take candy from a stranger, this lady was clearly a regular shopper and I trusted the miniature candy bar she was offering my three-year old was safe to eat. As my daughter embraced the candy in her little hands, the lady thanked us for our kindness and wished us a good day. I helped my daughter unwrap the chocolate goodness and used this encounter as an opportunity to teach my offspring that when you do something kind for others, you get kindness in return.
Fast forward a month and you will find my daughter and I enjoying a spaghetti lunch with my mom and dad at our local Fazoli’s. A friendly lady wearing a beautiful cross necklace said hello as she passed our table. My dad complemented her on the delicate cross necklace and a few minutes later the lady returned asking if my daughter could have candy. When I responded favorably she showered our table with chocolates. My mind raced to the lady who gave us candy at Aldi’s and I quickly realized we were having another sweet encounter with the candy lady!
This time I discovered the candy lady is Edy and that she never leaves home without a bag of chocolate. She finds joy handing out candy to workers at the establishments she frequents, bringing a little sweetness to others in what may otherwise be an ordinary day. In return, they look forward to Edy’s visits and she is treated with kindness and respect. In the fast paced world we live in we often don’t take the time to connect with others. How many times have you been guilty of being on your cell phone while a cashier rings up your groceries? Or being distracted by your little one or your lengthy “to do list” or the many other stresses in your life that you barely make eye contact with the worker who fills your order? Edy reminded me how important it is to take the time to be kind and considerate and to let people know, “You are important, I notice you and I appreciate the work you do!” And as a parent I need to remember there is a little person watching my every move, observing my actions and reactions and striving to be just like me! Through a smile, a friendly nod or a simple “thank you,” we can all be like Edy and together we can make the world a sweeter place.
Noteworthy Mommy 
How true! You are raising Lillian to be a kind and thoughtful human being-so desperately needed in this day and age.
Your story reminded me of my grandmother (mom’s mother)-she was also known as “The Candy Lady” at church. She always passed out candy to the kids after church.
Love your blog-not only do I get to hear about Lillian, but your stories almost always evoke some memories of my own.
Thanks so much for sharing!
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I bet your grandmother was the most popular grandmother in church! What a sweet thing to do.
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Years ago, there was an elderly man named Jack that was often out walking for exercise. He always wore bright orange gloves and carried dog treats in his pockets. No matter who drove by or walked by, he always smiled and waved. He brought everyone so much joy. A few years ago, he passed away and the neighborhood donated a memorial bench in his honor. Little things make such a big difference. I am glad you shared the story of Edy!
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Sounds like you have wonderful neighbors. Donating a bench in Jack’s honor was a beautiful thing to do!
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What a sweet idea! We had a sweet older neighbor man who loved to give all the kids around here keys that he had collected over the years. My boys love their collections from him!
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What a wonderful childhood memory for your boys.
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I just had to share this cute little story on fb!
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Thank you for sharing!
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What a special lady you have found in our community! Love that your daughter has decided to follow suit and bring happiness to others!
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This is so cute! When I taught at Head Start we used to have “boomer” volunteers who would love coming in and spending time with the kids. It is so sweet and so nice for everyone.
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Adorable! I love the pictures! What a sweet story, I wish I knew a candy lady 😉 Maybe my daughter can be one…her name is Edie, too!
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I love the kindness that you are instilling in your little girl. She will grow up to be a wonderful lady.
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What a great point of view! It’s so hard to remember sometimes that there are still people in the world who are genuine. And I think it is so cool that you’re encouraging your little girl to spread kindness!
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Thanks for such a meaningful, wholesome and thought provoking blog post. It’s always helpful to remember that our little ones are watching and learning from us and the way we treat others is extremely important. Thanks for such an encouraging post.
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