Community in my Community

It happened about two months ago and I just remembered it today. I wanted to tell you all about it.

We were in Joann's Craft Store, Grace and I, just shopping. She was down the aisle that has the American Doll-like clothes. There was a mother there with her two pre-teen kids too. As we perused the aisle, I could feel the two girls staring at Grace's arm. She was wearing her Pod on the back of her arm. Nothing new, the stares. I am starting to get used to it. Grace normally doesn't even notice.

We get ready to check-out and there she is again, this mother and her kids. She is behind us in line. Only now the two girls are smiling at Grace. Grace smiles back.

The mother leans in close to Grace and says -
"Guess what?"
And she pulls out a pink MiniMed from inside her bra.

Grace beams and she looks as if the woman just pulled a rubber chicken from inside her bra, she is that surprised by the whole thing.

Grace shows her arm and tells her she wears the OmniPod.  She tells the woman that she was diagnosed when she was 6.

The woman's eyes fill with tears at the edges. I see it, but Grace doesn't, not really. She's too excited that someone else is wearing the pump, right here in the store. The woman says she was diagnosed when she was 22 years old. Then she says -
"I have two kids, I'm married, I have a great job and I just happen to have diabetes."

Grace tells her she would like to be married when she grows up, and have kids (a boy and a girl to be exact) and she thinks she might work as a teacher.

We check out and go to say goodbye.

The woman leans down to Grace and says one last thing -
"Wear it proud sister, wear it proud."

Thank you,
dear woman,
for a moment of clarity,
for being so real,
for being kind and telling her that it is ok,
that you will be just fine sister,
that people grow up and have Type 1,
that there are people who see you and care about you.
Thank you.