By Joseph J. Mazzella

Epiphanies often come to us at the strangest times, and wisdom often awakens in us in the most unusual places. It was a late Friday afternoon and my family and I were at the grocery store. We usually shop on Saturdays but the early spring weather forecast had predicted a winter snowstorm. Thus, here we were grabbing groceries in time to beat the storm.

Unfortunately, everyone else in town had the same idea. The store was both crazy and crowded. Everywhere I turned shopping carts were blocking my path. The more I tried to maneuver the less progress I seemed to make. We were stuck and stressed and it looked like we weren’t getting out of the store anytime soon.

It was at this point that somewhere deep in my heart I heard a voice speaking to me. “Why are you rushing?” it said. “Relax and enjoy this moment. Look around and see who you are with.” Thankfully, I listened to it. I opened my eyes, cleared my mind, and relaxed my heart. I let go of my stress and smiled. It was then that I saw something very beautiful: my family. I wasn’t just seeing my own children either. Everyone in the store was my family. The old lady pushing her cart was my sister. The little girl grabbing her favorite cereal was my daughter. The big guy with the bushy beard was my brother. I didn’t know the names of any of them but at that moment we were all one. We were children of God on a wonderful journey of learning and love. I wasn’t at the store. I was at the family reunion. I slowed to a stroll then and spent my time sharing smiles, kind words, and friendly laughter with my family.

Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. He created us to love each other as well. He created us to be one family here on Earth. May we always live then as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. May we always live as one.