Sometimes the world can be a cruel place. We've all experienced it in varying levels. But there are moments of pure kindness that erase any and all thought of pain, like Life's little Etch-a-Sketch. Today, I was fortunate enough to experience one.
After our department's holiday potluck lunch and Yankee swap, I raced out of the office to make a late-afternoon, impromptu doctor's appointment. Obviously I was immediately impeded by traffic, as anyone is who's in a hurry. I was officially running late. Fortunately, I knew my way to the hospital and, more importantly, the parking garage. The entrance to the garage became an "exit only" after 3pm. Fantastic. Thanks to one-way streets, I was up a creek with no paddle. Looked like I was parking on the street. By some miracle of miracles I found a metered spot on Tremont (and if you've driven Downtown, you know how rare that was!). There was just one problem: I had one quarter and approximately an hour-long venture ahead. You do the math. With a dollar bill in hand, I rushed to the nearest store front with hopes of change. The words "No Change" stared me in the face. I was getting more and more discouraged. Ok, plan B. A car pulled up and a woman stepped out as her husband scrounged for coins.
"I'm sorry, but do you by any chance have change for a dollar? I'm running late for a doctor's appointment and only have one quarter." I prayed that my puppy eyes were working. She immediately and sincerely offered to change my dollar, even though her husband told her they may need the coins for their meter.
"Oh, I'll go make change if I have to... she's running late!" she responded to him. I am not sure that I have ever wanted to hug a stranger more in my life. It truly was her sincerity that made my grinchy heart grow three sizes today. Plus, she gave me fifty cents, refused my dollar, and told me not to worry about it. I thanked her profusely and wished them happy holidays, tossed the coins into my meter and sprinted up the street as fast as my high heels would take me.
Because of this simple act of kindness, I want and need to pay it forward. Let's just say that I will be carrying around a lot of quarters in case that couple ever needs their fifty cents back. Whoever you were, thank you and I hope you enjoyed your leisurely hour on Tremont! Christmas really is all around :)
No comments:
Post a Comment