Tonight, my family went to Olive Garden. And per usual, my toddler Harlynn did everything but sit in her high chair. She made sure the whole restaurant knew she was in the building.
I was overwhelmed and finally asked our waitress if she could please bring my meal in a to-go box — because we were headed to the car.
But she looked at me and said:
“NO. You’re going to sit down and enjoy your dinner, and I’ll sit with her.”
And that’s exactly what she did.
She brought Harlynn a bowl of ice cream with caramel syrup. While my daughter sat in my lap, she patiently fed her — and for the first time in weeks, I actually got to eat my food while it was still hot.
Her name is Nianni Nani Rudder. And I’ll never forget her kindness.
She didn’t just bribe my toddler with sweets so I could breathe — she gave me a gift I didn’t realize I desperately needed: a moment of peace.
Nianni, your mom is smiling down from Heaven so proud of the strong, compassionate woman you’ve become. You’ll never know how much tonight meant to me.
Kindness doesn’t have to be big. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting with a tired mom and saying: “You deserve a hot meal, too.” ❤️
[Courtney Ruth Pedigo]