The Kindness of Sharing Wisdom

"Clearly older women and especially older women who have led an active life or elder women who successfully maneuver through their own family life have so much to teach us about sharing, patience, and wisdom."
~ Alice Walker

Recently at the beauty salon, I was checking out and struggling to sign my credit card slip with wet nails.  "Would you like me to do it for you?" I heard someone behind me ask.  It was an older woman who had the appointment after mine.  It was such a nice thing to do and as I looked at her, I realized that she looked like someone I knew... my son's former t-ball coach.  I asked the woman her last name and told her I knew her son, who, in addition to being a volunteer coach is a doctor, an accomplished singer, composer and pianist, and the father of five.  "Now I know where his nice genes come from," I said.  She shrugged it off and we began a conversation as her nails were being painted and I waited for mine to dry.  She talked about her mother, who was 99 years old, and also about raising her children and gave me advice that I took to heart.  I felt so blessed to have had such a random encounter with this woman and grateful that she shared her wisdom.