Solo Breakfast

It was hard work to keep our brood under control as they waited for their pancakes at a local diner last Sunday after Mass.  I was exhausted just playing referee to the game of 20 questions that we were using to pass the time.  At the table next to us, a little old lady ate her fried eggs and toast while she read the paper.  It might have been easy to think of her as lonely or pathetic, but in fact she looked rather content.  When we got up to leave she was still drinking her coffee and she patted my arm.  I want to tell you, she said, I have 9 children.  My grandchildren are older than your children now.  I had tears in my eyes as I said, I feel like it is all I can do to put one foot in front of the other.  Some days are like that, she responded.

I hope that they remember to call her, I hope that she is not lonely, but I bet she really, really enjoys getting to read her paper and drink her coffee as slowly as she likes!