When a young boy struggled with tying his shoes, a kind employee stepped in. A heartwarming story of patience, empathy, and unexpected kindness. The man did not just teach the child to fit shoes, but also taught confidence.
Most of us take the little skills we learn early in life for granted. However, this is not Tituss’ case. Countless attempts, a lot of patience, and encouragement from parents, yet those tiny knots remained a challenge. Whether the task was buttoning his shirt, zipping up his pants, or tying his shoe laces, Titus struggled.
The struggle got so frustrating that the family had to get Velcro shoes and stretchy shorts to keep the child calm and happy. However, this wasn’t something that could last forever. Titus grew, and so did his feet, but the struggles were constant. On a back to school shopping trip to Dicks sporting good, Titus knew he wanted the bright red Adidas sneakers he saw on the store.
However, there was just one catch: they had laces.
As he tried them on, anxiety kicked in his mother’s heart as she knew what this meant. Jay Jay, an employee working there, stepped in to help.
With a warm smile, he kept encouraging Titus to keep trying to tie the laces. ‘Try tying them, little man, and I’ll check the fit.’
The mom explained the situation to the employee, but instead of understanding, he was ready to offer Titus his time! Who would do that for a stranger?
He knelt beside Titus, patient and calm, and began teaching him an easy way to tie laces- bunny loops and finger grips, just like he had learnt. Even when Titus showed signs of anxiety and tears welled up in his eyes because of failing to do the task, Jay Jay did not give up!
‘You are going to get this, I believe in you.’ He kept reassuring.
A busy story, 30 mins in, an employee dealing with just one customer- this wasn’t an ordinary situation. When a customer asked Jay Jay for help, he replied ‘I’ll be right with you- I have to make sure this little guy learns how to tie his shoes first.’
And then it happened!
Titus was able to tie his laces.
Years of frustration, practice, and self-doubt were undone by a random employee who was no less than an angel for the child. All it took was 30 minutes and a little bit of help to make the boy feel confident again.
A confidence that shone brighter than the shoes Titus was wearing- he walked out of the shop. When he got home, he kept practicing, and soon he was all ready to go to school with his new pair of sneakers.
Maybe the kindness that Titus experienced in life, he will pass it on someday, too.
Thank you, Jay Jay, the world needs more people like you!