It’s the little things

Catching up with Carolyn the Candy Lady

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- It’s the little things in life that keep you going. It’s not grand gestures or over-the-top declarations that make the day-to-day grind bearable; instead, it can be as simple as a piece of hard candy.

I was rushing through our local Walmart yesterday, grabbing some supplies on a lunch break before heading back to work, and in a hurry as usual. I got in line at the checkout behind an elderly gentleman who chatted with the cashier. After he left and it was my turn to get checked out, I made random small talk with the lady at the register as well. As we chatted, my eye was caught by another employee who limped her way over with a big bag of old-fashioned hard candy in her hand. With a smile, she held it out, offering my cashier a piece of candy – she took a peppermint – and I could tell from the exchange that this was a daily ritual. After she walked away, to spread happiness, one tiny little piece of hard candy at a time, I asked my cashier if she did that every day, even though I already knew the answer.

“That’s Carolyn the Candy Lady,” she replied.

‘She’s been here forever, and she takes everyone candy on her breaks; I don’t know what we would do without our candy lady.”

Sometimes all you need is a little pick me up in life, a gentle reminder that life isn’t so bad, that there’s still kindness in the world, that people do still care about one another. It’s the little things in life that make a difference, it’s people like Carolyn the Candy Lady. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/16/2024-6AM)