Dear Lady at Albertson’s in Lafayette, I Saw What You Did

Like most shoppers across Louisiana, I have a grocery store that I go to more often than others. In my case, I am most likely to "make groceries" at the Albertson's store in Ambassador Plaza. Since I was "today year's old" when I found out that the shopping center had a name, I usually just call it the Albertsons on Congress, although technically it's on Ambassador Caffery Parkway.

I guess I am what the store employees would call "a regular" because I know a lot of them by name. I know a little bit about their families and to me, they're just good folks. The store manager even smiles at me when I come in to shop, so it's a good place for me.

This past Tuesday I confirmed in my heart what my brain must have already figured out. The other folks who shop at this Albertsons are like me too. I say that specifically because of a lady I happened to see in the checkout line as I was walking in.

I don't want this to sound too creepy or make it seem like a "missed connections" bit from DJ Digital and the crew at HOT 1079 but, there was something about this lady that made me walk up to her and speak to her as she was paying for her purchases and loading her groceries into her cart.

What attracted my attention to her was this, it was the shirt she was wearing, and no, I didn't take a picture of her wearing it but the message on her shirt truly filled my heart with joy and with hope. What kind of shirt was she wearing?

"This Shirt Saves Lives" it's the t-shirt that you get when you become a Partner in Hope with St Jude Hospital. To her, maybe that was just a nice clean, and comfortable shirt that was convenient and worked with her outfit that day. To me, it said, I am on your side in the fight against cancer.

Maybe you feel the same way about cancer that I do. Cancer took the life of my big sister Linda in 1996 and almost one year ago to the day I found out my big brother Al had been diagnosed with cancer, again. Al died less than two weeks later and I am still pissed about that.

I hate cancer. I want it to stop taking the lives of people I love. I want you to help me and this nice lady at Albertsons. Would you join us in the fight to save lives? Use your phone and text the word "LIVE' to 626262, it's $19 a month and can be billed to your major credit card.

You can get a cool t-shirt and if you become a Partner in Hope right now, you can have this extremely desirable hoodie to add to your collection of "things that are perfect to wear to Albertsons". It's also a great way to let the world know that you believe no child should die in the dawn of life.

M'am I hope I didn't startle you when I walked up to you unannounced and told you "Thank you for Supporting St Jude". I meant it. And on that particular day when the pain of losing my brother Al was almost too overwhelming for me to go to the store at all, you made a difference. You reminded me that where there is hope you can always find grace. And, where there is grace we can find peace, Amen.

Bless you, nice lady, perhaps the life your shirt saved that day was mine.