But the greatest of these is love

After work today, I went to a local grocery store for a school fundraiser. I helped bag people's groceries. On the way out, people were collecting receipts. I literally just stood there bagging groceries for strangers. People thought I worked there despite wearing street clothes.

One woman gave me a hug after I bagged her groceries. It was a genuine hug, too, not one of those weak hugs.

I think this event was so moving for two reasons. The first is that I'm fascinated that acomplete stranger insisted on giving me a hug for something so common. I used to work at a grocery store; I actually liked bagging groceries. It's my version of puzzles (I hate actual puzzles). Take note I use the word "liked" after not having worked in a grocery store for 5 years.

The second reason is that it caused me to think about how often I hug others in my own life. There are some friends that I do hug every time I see him or her. Yet, in general, I do not hug others very often.

I often remember the movie Crash and the following line: "Graham: It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something" (imdb.com).

The woman who hugged me has no idea how much I appreciated that hug. So, it also makes me think about how I can never be sure the effect of my actions upon another person. I never know what I say will be remembered by my students. I know the phrases I'd like them to remember, but the phrases I consider unimportant may be the very phrases they remember for a lifetime. Of course, I'm assuming I say something important enough to be remembered in the future. Maybe it's not the words that are important but the high fives and the pats on the back.