The Special Family Connection® Podcast

The Power of Unexpected Kindness

April 09, 2021 Debby Wells Season 2 Episode 5
The Special Family Connection® Podcast
The Power of Unexpected Kindness
Show Notes Transcript

Today my story was inspired by an elderly man with a broad, genuine smile and a wave that made me, the recipient, feel genuinely remarkable.

Some people come into your life and make a positive impact, but you may have never spoken a word to them.  Maybe it's the twinkle in their eyes when they smile at you, the opening of a door for you, the offer of a place in the front of them in line if you have fewer items than they do, the kind word when you need it.  My mother was a new widow standing in line at the grocery store. A woman in line behind my mother reached over to the cashier and handed her a handful of money. My mother assumed it was for a prior purchase and pulled her wallet out to pay for her purchases. The cashier smiled and said, "It's all paid for... no money needed" The woman behind my mother had noticed my mother's face, the sadness, the exhaustion, and wanted to do something nice for her. That act helped my mother as she grieved in ways this woman could never have foreseen. She trusted her gut, went with her heart, and a person she did not know became more important to her than money.

Original music  for Special Family Connection® is written, produced and performed by Mike Wells Music, for Special Family Connection®  www.MikeWellsMusic.net



Support the show

Some people come into your life and make a positive impact, but you may have never spoken a word to them. Maybe it's the twinkle in their eyes when they smile at you, the opening of a door for you, the offer of a place in the front of them in line if you have fewer items than they do, the kind word when you need it. 

My mother was a new widow standing in line at the grocery store. A woman in line behind my mother reached over to the cashier and handed her a handful of money. My mother assumed it was for a prior purchase and pulled her wallet out to pay for her purchases. The cashier smiled and said, "It's all paid for... no money needed" The woman behind my mother had noticed my mother's face, the sadness, the exhaustion, and wanted to do something nice for her. That act helped my mother as she grieved in ways this woman could never have foreseen. She trusted her gut, went with her heart, and a person she did not know became more important to her than money. 


Today my story was inspired by an elderly man with a broad, genuine smile and a wave that made me, the recipient, feel genuinely remarkable. This gentleman was always out walking when I was on my way to work. He would see my truck, smile from ear to ear, extend his arm high in the air, and wave at me with everything he had. The expected connection with this human dynamo of goodwill got me out of my house and off to work at the same time each day so that I would not miss my chance at seeing him and waving back. My daughter says, "A kind smile is a blessing." and she is so right. Now, I am not naive enough to think I was the only one he was waving at every morning. This man, this bringer of good cheer and contagious smiles, was on a mission to make people happy. 


"Use your smile to change the world; don't let the world change your smile." – Chinese Proverb.


These morning encounters with the happy, walking, waving; smiler continued for six months, then one day, he stopped being there. I would slow my truck and look for him, stop on the road and wait, I left earlier a few days to see if he had changed his schedule, but he was not there. It has been two months since I saw this wonderful man and I miss him dearly. I do not know what has become of this lovely soul, but I know I miss him more than I could have imagined. I will remember him by smiling and waving at others. Some people may think I am a "Cuckoo," but it is worth it for the many who need to feel like someone sees them and verifies that they are not invisible. I wish I had pulled over, asked him his name, thanked him for the daily dose of smiles, and got to know him.


How many of us would hesitate to bring some joy into the day of a stranger for fear of what they would say, think or do? Why do those fears even have a chance to invade our thoughts? Why do we hold back from making the world a better place, if even for a moment, but have no problem spouting anger or frustration, and putting aside all self-control and manners to let that person who made us feel that way have it right between the eyes with our sharp tongue? 


"A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles." – William Hazlitt


I found a website, "6Seconds.org," in a post titled "87 Ways to Be Kind and Loving," the author writes;

"How to be kind seems simple enough. But sometimes it feels impossible to be kind and loving, don't you think? We get so angry and frustrated at events happening in our lives that we cannot access that loving place inside of us. Instead, our eyes go from side to side as our fists clench and minds whirl with angry thoughts. Some of us even spew those thoughts out into the world with our talk and our actions. Or sometimes we don't know what to do. We have a nagging feeling that we need to be doing something, but we're just not sure what."


By the way, I saw the walking, waving, and smiling man today on my way to work. He was walking his dog and exuberantly smiled and waved as I drove near him. I pulled over. His name is Henry; he is 87, the grandfather of 10, veteran, widower, and my new friend. 








https://www.6seconds.org/2020/02/27/kindness-and-loving-75-ways/