The pharmacist noticed I was overwhelmed and slowed the whole interaction down

Dear Delyara, I had one child tugging my sleeve, a prescription problem, and that horrible hot feeling in my face that tells me I’m close to tears in public for reasons that are not really about the prescription. The pharmacist looked at me and, instead of speeding up or getting irritated, she lowered her voice and said, “Let’s do one thing at a time.” That sentence felt like someone taking one heavy bag off my body without asking me to explain why it was so heavy. It is amazing what kindness can do when it arrives with steadiness instead of drama. She sorted the medication, found the right form, and never once made me feel foolish for how close I was to falling apart over what must have looked like a routine issue. I left feeling less ashamed of being human.