$2
What is the cost of a happy go lucky feeling at the core of your stomach?
Apparently it’s $2.
I was standing in line waiting to pay for a pouch of peanuts [retail value $0.85]. An elderly woman was standing in front of me. She carefully examined her collection of goodies: a midsize bag of corn and a small pouch of chocolates.
Taking her time she slowly asked about the cost of each item; the clerk informed her of the prices:
Corn: $3.58
Chocolate: $2.00
She paused, contemplated, looked at her tiny wallet, looked back at the clerk and finally [with a sigh] asked to take the chocolates off her bill.
Six months ago I would stand there and do nothing; I would probably be annoyed by the delay and would storm off feeling irritated. Today, I gently tapped her on the shoulder, extended my hand, smiled and offered a toonie.
Dear reader, I am not the type of a person who would naturally come off as a gentle person. I don’t usually exude peace and good will. People would likely mistake me for a serious, quiet, confrontational type. So it could have been possible that the woman would have reacted defensively. But she didn’t. She graciously accepted my gesture with a smile and gratitude.
I hope that this little act of kindness made her day. I hope those chocolates remind her of the kindness of strangers. I hope that you my dear reader consider the possibility of offering a helping hand when an opportunity presents itself.
Cheers