Tabitha Monistere is a boy-mom through and through.
She is “Mommy” to her three sons, and she’s used to getting all the stares—not because her boys are wild and crazy, but because one of her sons, Blaine, is disabled and often sits in a wheelchair.
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Tabitha is used to people looking at her family strangely, staring at her son or just down-right ignoring them. But on this particular day, things were different.
As the mother of three writes in a letter on The Mighty, she was in the restroom one day at church, and had Blaine laid out on the couch in the nursing room when a “lovely lady” walked in. She writes to the lady:
“I saw you glance our way several times as you helped your little ones wash their hands. Our eyes met in the mirror, and I smiled at you.”
Tabitha sat in the small room and got Blaine set up with his bag of formula that provides all of his core nutrients. The lovely lady walked into the nursing area to greet Tabitha and her son. She said hello and asked if she could introduce her little boys to Tabitha’s son.
“At first I was a little shocked and it took a second to form the words, ‘Sure, it’s OK.’”
The kind stranger asked Blaine’s name and age, and made conversation with her sons and Tabitha.
“I was in awe of you as you introduced your little boys, who were 5 and 3. I watched your boys talk to our son, asking him how he was doing, what he was doing and what that tube going in his stomach was.”
She continues:
“I saw Blaine’s face light up, his eyes shining with his little crooked smile that I love so much and his little arms pulled up to his chest, trying to push his voice out, but he was so excited no sound came out. I watched you teach your boys a life lesson, and they responded to Blaine like he was just another little boy who they would play with.”
Tabitha says she could barely believe what she was seeing. “It took my breath away.”
The group of friends spent a few more minutes together before the sweet mother and her boys said their goodbyes.
As the three of them made their way out the door, Tabitha says she finally found her voice—which had been silenced by her overwhelming joy and disbelief—and she thanked the lady.
“A puzzled look came across your face and you asked for what. With tears streaming down my face, I explained it was for introducing your sons and acknowledging that our son was just another little boy like yours. You said, ‘Oh, but he is.’ I said I know, but not everyone sees that. So many times we get the funny look or just ignored. You have no idea what it meant to me. You gave me a hug and went on your way.”
That day in the bathroom with Blaine was different. The lovely lady had done what no one else had before—and it’s a moment that will never leave Tabitha’s heart.
“If I could tell you thank you again, I would. My heart will always be grateful for your kindness in the midst of a trying time in our life. Whenever the memory of that moment comes to mind I know that there’s still goodness in this world. I will never forget you. I pray often that God blesses you and your boys. From one mother to another, thank you.”
