I love my job, not because retail is my calling, but because I have found solace in making connections with each person I meet.

I am a salesgirl at a women’s clothing consignment shop in Boulder, Colorado. Every day dozens of women come into the store, and a few of these women have made more of an impact on me than I ever expected.

One day, an old woman came up to the sales counter with a green sweater and a silk scarf.

She told me that she adored them and sweetly asked me to hold onto them for her while her granddaughter tried on a few things. For hours, the young woman popped out of the dressing rooms to do a twirl in whatever she had on, her grandmother would tell her she looked “absolutely lovely” in it, and the girl would smile and disappear behind the canvas curtain.

When she had finished, her grandmother brought it all to the counter and purchased hundreds of dollars worth of clothing for her granddaughter. She told me that it was the young girl’s birthday and that she wanted to do something nice for her. As they walked out of the store, I realized that the grandmother hadn’t purchased the green sweater or the silk scarf.

I couldn’t believe how selfless she had been.

One afternoon, a small woman with perfect posture approached me as I was organizing sweaters.

She told me she had a date that night, and asked if I could help her find a shirt to wear. She said she was a massage therapist, and one of her coworkers asked her out. We looked through several racks together and eventually decided on a royal blue T-shirt.

She left the store and I wished her luck. A few months later I saw her in the shoe section. I was nervous to ask her how her date had gone but I had to know. She smiled and told me it was perfect.

“And now we’re in love.” she said.

I give myself all the credit.

Another day, a young woman with short red hair and strikingly blue eyes walked into the store. She came straight to the counter and began asking me to take a few pairs of earrings out of the case for her. She held each pair up to her ear and asked me what I thought of them.

I offered my opinion of 20 or so pairs and then she said, “You must think I’m crazy, trying on so many pairs of earrings.”

I assured her that I did not and asked if they were for a special occasion. It seemed like she wanted to talk about whatever it was. She explained to me that she had just cut off all of her hair because she was undergoing Chemotherapy, and it was beginning to fall out.

“I’m going to need lots of earrings if I’m going to be bald,” she said with a smile.

I couldn’t believe her strength.

I am surprised all the time by the incredible people that I meet at the store. I like to believe that I have made an impact on some of them, and I know they have made an impact on me.

The connections I make constantly make me feel lucky just to be a salesgirl.

~

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Sign up for our (curated) daily and weekly newsletters!

~

~

Author: Zoe Benson

Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: flickr