Kindness of a stranger

Sometimes people come into your life for a reason, they may only stay a few moments, but they leave their footprints on your heart.
This happened to me today - one person who stayed a moment, gave an insight, a warm smile, and one person who shared something personal and who is going to be a big part of my life for a while now.
Imagine having a conversation with someone and an elderly lady is standing beside you, smiling at you, begging to be acknowledged. This lady wanted to tell me that my mum was going to be ok, that she would have hair again by Christmas, that she too had been on this journey and it was an "interesting" journey.  I agreed with her on that last point!!! And all the time, she gave me the most caring smile and locked eyes with mine, eyes that yearned for me to have belief for the future. I know I will see this lady again on my travels, and next time I do, I will say thank you.  Thank you for your kind words, your smile, your belief.
The second person who shared a very personal story with me, shocked me a little.  They have only just come into my life, but they are going to play an integral part in my future. Within moments of them knowing that my mum was battling breast cancer, they informed me that they understood what my mum was going through, that they too have battled the disease and they are hoping for the 12 month "all clear" in the coming months.
What a journey - this disease affects someone in some way.
I spoke with my mum tonight about her current tests, appointments, future treatment and also mentioned to her about these people that had shared their stories with me today.
She makes me so proud to call her my MUM.
 Her strength is returning, her willingness to now ask questions - to want to know what it is going to be like to lose her hair and eyebrows, to want to participate in a workshop to learn how to draw on eyebrows and do her make up so that she does not look sick.  Wow, my mum is a fighter.  Everyone who knows my mum, knows that she is as strong as an ox. She battles on through every injection, every test, giving up all of her privacy to the surgeons, oncologists, nurses who are helping her to live.
I have no doubt that when she has her first round of chemo in just over a week, I will shed a tear for her. One of my friends recently told me that with my mum's army of girls around her, she will fight this. I love that we are referred to as an army.  I can just imagine me and my three sisters fully kitted out in artillery uniforms, war paint on our faces, machine guns blaring, blasting this nasty disease out of my mum's body.
Tomorrow as my mum goes through more injections and scans, I will remember the kindred spirits who touched my heart today.
 Who left their footprints on my soul for me to tiptoe on to get us through these coming months.