A Missed Opportunity

Today I took my squirts and their friend, Miss E, to the park after Music and Drama Camp.  We were all in high spirits after their fun-filled learning experience and were looking forward to roller skating after a visit with "Porky Pig" and "Wilbur" (our names for the pigs) in the park.  After saying our "hellos" to the two pigs in question, we crossed the road so that the girls could play at the park for a few minutes before the skate center opened.  While they played, I sat on the bench next to someone's Big Gulp.  A few minutes later, a younger woman who had just been pushing her child on a swing sat next to me and drank from the Big Gulp.  We started chatting about the weather, etc., which, in turn, led to discussion of activities for the kiddos.  When she told me she'd like to take her three children to Splash City, but that it was too expensive, I told her about a summer reading program which had offered complimentary tickets for reader participants and their family members (I love FREE and am constantly on the hunt for FREE).  She then explained how she was a single, low-income mother.  This conversation led to the upcoming FREE Vacation Bible School offered at Troy UMC.   Usually having a RUBY Magazine card on me, much to my disappointment, this day my pockets were empty.  When it was time for the squirts and I to leave, I told her my name, and she told me hers.  I told her I'd hope to see her again at the park or VBS.  When I left, though, I felt as if I should have acted on her need . . . inviting her to join us skating and paying her and her kiddos' way, asking for her number, something, anything, but I didn't.  Sarah Kirkpatrick's article on TWIGS was resonating in my subconscious, but I failed to act.  The girls and I skated, and much to our sudoriferous glands pleasure, in a nonworking air-conditioned facility.  Due to this uncomfortable environment, we were given complimentary passes for a future visit to the skate center.  Thinking about the tickets in my hand, I am hopeful the next time we are at the park I run into this mother of three, pass on the FREE tickets, and not miss yet another opportunity.

Courtney Winkler