I'm always surprised at how little it takes to lift someone's spirits. I drive my son to school every morning at about 7:00 a.m. We take the same route each day not because it's quicker but mainly because I'm half asleep and my car pretty much drives us there on its own. I started to notice a homeless man who sleeps between two buildings.
Each day as I'm driving, bleary-eyed with the sun in my eyes, there he is, rising and shaking off his sleep as we roll by. Then, my son started it. He waved at the homeless man. Tag, you're it.
Next day, same thing. We drive by, the man is just waking up. My son waves and we go down the street. The disheveled man gives a blank stare in our direction.
This scenario goes on for a week. We drive by, the homeless man is just waking up, my son waves and the man barely acknowledges us.
Then one day, we're driving, again the sun is in our eyes, radio blasting and I'm fumbling for my coffee cup. We round the corner. The man was standing on the side walk as if he was waiting for us. He waved.
It takes so little. Just a nod of the head to acknowledge someone's presence, letting someone in traffic, holding the door open, little stuff.
I think of the people here on Active Rain. We're from all over the country. Our daily lives may be different, but so much is the same. We all have fears, we have successes, we suffer failures, some of us are struggling, but there is kindness and words of encouragement. So little means so much.
Comments(12)