I have always wished that I could be placed in a situation in which I could knowingly make someone else's day brighter. I try to smile at people frequently, because that has been known to make my day brighter on occasion. We are not, in a worldly perspective, financially wealthy people but I have always wished that I could give money away to those who might be in greater need of it that I. Today I was blessed enough to be in a situation where I could help someone out.
I was in the checkout line at the grocery store with my baby girl when an elderly man came up behind us in line. He was alone, dressed in a weathered dapper suit and carrying an oxygen tank with him as he "ooh"d and "aah"d over sweet Mollie. He had a pin on the lapel of his suit coat that looked like a seal of some country, which by his accent I am guessing was Ireland? Softly speaking, he commented on my daughter's beautiful brown eyes and on the cookie in her hand. With every word I had an overwhelming feeling come over me that I wanted to do something for the frail gentleman.
He didn't have much more than a basket's worth of groceries and I, for one of the few times in my life, felt that I could make a difference on some scale for this man. I gestured to the cashier subtly that I would be paying for his groceries and she nodded. The man pulled out his wallet, and as I helped put his groceries into his cart then paying for the both of our groceries, I could see it dawn on him what I had done.
I have to be honest in telling that I was legitimately afraid that this sweet looking little man would be offended at the gesture, I don't know why. Instead he patted his chest just over his heart (I have seen many in my family do this same gesture) and whispered thank you through his tears. I told him to have a wonderful day and as I walked away, I heard him say to the cashier "I am 90 years old and I have never had anyone do something like that for me."
I am not posting this looking for recognition or trying to boast, but his genuine gratitude rocked my perspective on so many things. To be nearly a century old and to have never had someone do something of such little effort for him made me realize how many opportunities that I probably have had, but never took advantage of to brighten someone else's day. There are so many simple things that can be done on a daily basis to help people of all ages around us.
I have been awakened to the things that I take for granted, and the time that I waste on trivial things that could be better spent serving others.
What a blessing this day has been to me, to know that I had the courage to try to help someone and to have that help accepted.
I will be actively looking for those opportunities from now on and I encourage anyone else who may feel something lacking in their lives to simply SERVE.
