Last night I made a run to Walmart. I planned to pick up a few groceries and make a quick getaway, but I was soon swept up in the completeness of it all—Walmart has a little of everything, and cheap prices to boot. Before long, I was looking at plants, cosmetics, pajamas, and shoes. At one point, heading for the garden section with a plan to stop at health & beauty on the way, I walked through the wide corridor at the front of the store between the merchandise and the registers, and I saw a sprinkling of little girls who appeared to be unattended. They were of various ages and looked like they were connected because each wore accessories in hot pink, a confetti of shoes, hair ornaments, clothing items. Momentarily they scattered, and the littlest one—she couldn't have been older than three—realized she was alone and her mother was nowhere in sight. Reeling, she looked at her surroundings with eyes filled with fear. She walked back and forth, yelling "Mama! Mama!" and I could see that those around her were oblivious to her cries and her predicament. She was such a tiny, vulnerable creature in a huge place populated by people going to and fro, any of whom could, as my mother might say, "snatch her up." I went to assist her, and suddenly I spotted her mother about 50 feet away. There was no doubt about the connection between them. Mom was a beacon, a fortress of power and comfort with open arms and a welcoming countenance. The look in her eyes was one of great love, mercy, and relief as the little girl, now beaming with joy, took off running to her. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of my mother and my children, and those special moments when you know, "I am yours and you are mine."Today is Mother's Day, and I understand more than ever that the bond between mother and child echoes God's incredible love for His children.
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