Jess Wolfe was struggling through a trip to the supermarket when a stranger approached. What the stranger said has gone viral, touching mums worldwide.
Wolfe, a photographer who lives in the US, had her four kids – Zion, Ezra, Ireleigh and Salem – with her at the time.
“Sweaty, baby strapped to my back, three-year-old insisting that her belly hurts and NEEDS her donut that she forgot to eat after lunch, six-year-old using everything in sight as a weapon, seven-year-old wanting to spend the only dollar he has…” she posted on Facebook last Thursday. “This. This was my trip to the grocery today.”
While Wolfe was bagging up her groceries, “and trying to quietly keep from losing my ever-loving sh*t”, the woman standing next to her asked if she had a phone that takes pictures.
“Trying not to convey my annoyance to someone else adding to the million questions that make up my day, I replied that, yes I do have one of those fancy phones. She asked to take a picture of me with the kids. At the grocery. Together.
“She told me that she wishes she had photos of herself doing everyday things with her kids. She validated the fact that a simple grocery trip is hard. She told me that what I do matters. She doesn’t miss what made the days hard, but she misses what made them sweet.”
The woman took the photo. It shows Wolfe smiling.
“I will always cherish this picture and the message that came with it,” she adds.
LISTEN: Parenting superstars, Holly Wainwright and Andrew Daddo break down everything parents are talking about this week on This Glorious Mess (post continues after audio…)
Wolfe’s post has been liked more than 150,000 times. She’s thrilled that it’s been shared around the world.
“It’s so fun to see how far the encouragement from one kind stranger has reached!” she tells Mamamia.
The thousands of comments on the post show that the stranger’s words have really struck a chord with mums.
“I’m crying,” wrote one woman. “Because I’m hormonal and pregnant with number four and grocery shopping is HARD. It is so special when people are nice instead of judgey.”
“I’m bawling because I can relate to the older woman,” wrote another.
“I will start doing this as well!” added another. “The struggle is real and the smallest gesture can change a whole day.”
Has anyone ever done something like this for you before? What did it mean to you?
Top Comments
Fantastic.
No, no one did it for me. I've taken lots of photos of strangers with their own phones and cameras though. About 25% say no thanks. I ask when one member of a group or couple is left out because they are taking the photo. I particularly like doing it at tourist spots, as it reflects the Aussie generosity of character to visitors .
Lovely story & a reminder that even if you feel you are struggling that other's see you in a different way! Try & pay a stranger a compliment whenever you can, you never know how much it can brighten someone's day, even your own :) Today, I saw a young woman walking across the car park. She had this amazing shock of gorgeously untamed, black, tiny, twisty curls & she was a lovely vision on a sunshiny day. I got in my car & she got into the passenger side of the car next to mine. I wound my window down & said "excuse me, I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your hair is & that you look absolutely lovely" She was so shocked & thanked me telling me that I was a beautiful woman & she hoped I had a blessed day. She had this wonderful smile on her face & so did I. I think we were both feeling as good as the other about the exchange :)