Preface: I hesitated to post this story today because I don’t want it to come across as sharing this story to make myself look good. Rather I wanted to share because of the message: it is so easy to make a difference in someone’s life. It’s easy in our technology-connected world to forget to look around you, but when you do you can make so many amazing connections. Hope you enjoy.
In the airport in Phoenix I sat next to a woman just returning home after her father’s death. She was self-employed and catching up on three weeks’ worth of missed phone calls. I could hear her voice catch every time she told someone the story, like opening a wound again and again.
I wanted to buy her coffee but asking would have given her the chance to say no. So I walked to the nearest store and bought a pack of M & M’s and brought them back to her.
In between phone calls I gathered up the courage to say something to her. I didn’t want to be intrusive, and yet I couldn’t do nothing.
Shirley, I couldn’t help but overhear. I reached out the M & M’s. These are for you. I’m so sorry for what happened and I wanted to do something nice for you.
She stood up and hugged me. Told me her father had been 93. He hadn’t slept the last week of his life and neither had she. She stayed up all night, talking and holding his hands. She had no regrets.
And she cried and I cried, too. The littlest things can stay with you so long.
You guys, give kindness whenever you can. You never know when someone could use your smile or your words or three dollars worth of chocolate. And you get so much back in return.
Sending love your way.
xo Tanya
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