I am chillin’ in my happy place, eyes closed, enjoying every moment of a manicure and pedicure. My toes are warm in a swirling bubble bath, while my fingers are being massaged with fragrant body lotion. I am in a light-drenched nail salon in River Park, one of a dozen women starting off their weekend with some pampering.
Gradually, in my relaxed haze, I begin to pick up bits and pieces of the disjointed, muted conversations around me. “Give me the tickets…That’s so nice… you’re such a good friend… have you known each other long?”
“No, we just met.”
Intrigued, I looked toward the direction of the voice. It was a blonde woman who was taking the tickets, and a brunette is sitting next to her. I’m impossibly curious, so I absolutely had to know why the blonde was paying for someone she just met.
(Sure, I know it’s none of my business, but I’m a trained reporter, so I consider it a professional license.)
It took a few minutes of half-hearing the conversation to make sense of it, but gradually I stitched together the fact that the brunette was having triplets. Wow! How exciting! And the blonde woman was buying her pedicure. Ah, what a generous gesture for one mother to extend to another.
As they were starting to leave, I jumped into my flip flops and outed myself as a blogger for Central Valley Moms. I learned that the generous gift-giver was Rene Sample of Fresno, who was there with her daughter Shay, 21. I asked Rene why she made such a generous gift – of at least $30 – to a complete stranger. She laughed and said she is a Christian (she attends services at The Well). “I just believe in paying it forward, “ she said. It all started when she was having a bad day and someone bought her coffee at Starbucks.
The lucky mom-to-be was Railene Vargas, who is, indeed, expecting triplet daughters Oct. 2. She and her husband, Jamie, plan to name them Roselee, Ryanne and Raimie.
These women are a great example of the ideal support system that mothers should aspire to provide for each other. I think we should all invoke the Rene-Railene story whenever the mommy wars break out over something ridiculous like diapers, Binkys or career choices.
I’m inspired by Rene’s gesture, so I’m already looking for an opportunity to pay it forward to another mother.
Roselee, Ryanne and Raimie, welcome to the wonderful world of womanhood!