A Kind Word and a Smile

This has absolutely nothing to do with my farm, but it was such a nice thing that I am going to share it anyway.  The other morning I was waiting more or less patiently to have my car worked on, and every seat in the lobby at the repair shop was taken.  Once it hit me, after a few short seconds of thought, that the rest of my day would be spent sitting at a desk I took up residence near the entrance door and happily stood reading my book, occasionally reaching out to hold the door for other patrons of the business as they came and went. 

After perhaps 20 minutes of this, an older gentleman came up to me and asked if the job paid well.  He was perhaps in his late 70’s or early 80’s and said he may need it after the repairs on his car were finished.  I only smiled and said that the money isn’t good, but sometimes I received a kind word and a smile.  That payment was good enough for the day.  He chuckled and struck up a conversation, telling me about the accident that brought him in that morning and his recently deceased wife, as well as his family.  He was a kindly man, still full of sorrow for his wife who had passed two years ago, but one who filled his time volunteering to work with underprivileged children, and helping out at the local soup kitchen.  His kindness and interest in modern events was so genuine, as was his sorrow.

We ended up riding together to the car rental place to pick up our rentals while our automobiles were in for repairs, and he continued to tell me his tale of moving here from Ohio only 5 years past, and his delight in finding out that in my past I too had lived there for several years.  We spoke of many things during the long wait, far too many to include in this brief missive, but it was memorable.  He had a ready joke, and only complained that he now lived in a retirement community.  I asked if he wasn’t finding his neighbors to be friendly.  He said with a grin, “Aside from that… I’m surrounded by old people!  And I’m not old!”  That reminded me so much of the elder members of my family, and I shared with him wisdom from some of them.  I was told by my grandparents that you’re only as old as you think you are.  He liked that, but alas his car was ready and it was time to part. 

His last words to me, after handing me his card, were “That kind word and a smile?  That helped.  Thank you.” 

What you do and how you treat others really does make a difference in the world.  I am positive that he makes a difference in many lives, and I was reminded that even I make a difference sometimes.