What Does It Cost to Brighten Someone's Day?
In terms of money, what does it cost to brighten someone's day? As purchaser for our church's AWANA store, I'm finding more and more that little can be bought for $5 (my cap), and we're talking kids, here. So, do we have to have $10, $20, $50 to give away? Surprisingly, last week, it only required one quarter each, to brighten three people's days.
My daugthers and I were on our way back from a nearby town where we had shopped at yard sales. At our final stop was a mother with her four children and their grandmother. A table with mostly children's books was marked 25 cents each. I heard the grandmother say, "I bought you a movie, I'm not buying you a book, too!" After suppressing a scream (what kind of grandmother will buy a child a movie but not a book?), I turned to the little boy and told him to go ahead a pick a book. His brother was at a nearby table and I offered him the same, but he wasn't interested. Then I offered the same to his little sister who selected one. As we were about to pay, another brother (didn't realize there was four of them) pointed out a toy helicopter for $3. Nice try!
As they were about to leave, I heard the mother talking to the owner of the yard sale. She was interested in a $30 electric guitar, but didn't have the money at the time. I wavered. Should I offer the money? They probably couldn't afford a teacher, and I had to wonder about the quality of the guitar. I decided to pass.
The next day I went grocery shopping. An elderly lady was jiggling with the carts and turned to me for assistance. She didn't understand that they required a quarter. She reached for her bag, but I produced one for her. Her smile told me that in some small way, I had made her day.
A few weeks ago, I was at Wendy's. A young man was short some change to pay for his order. I stepped up and offered to pay. The look on his face was priceless. You would have thought I had just handed him a million bucks!
How can we make someone's day? It doesn't require a lot of money. What it does require is an awareness of other's needs. Sometimes, it doesn't require any money at all. Perhaps it is simply a smile, a hug, a compliment, or a helping hand. Be available. Pay attention. Be a part of something good and rewarding.
My daugthers and I were on our way back from a nearby town where we had shopped at yard sales. At our final stop was a mother with her four children and their grandmother. A table with mostly children's books was marked 25 cents each. I heard the grandmother say, "I bought you a movie, I'm not buying you a book, too!" After suppressing a scream (what kind of grandmother will buy a child a movie but not a book?), I turned to the little boy and told him to go ahead a pick a book. His brother was at a nearby table and I offered him the same, but he wasn't interested. Then I offered the same to his little sister who selected one. As we were about to pay, another brother (didn't realize there was four of them) pointed out a toy helicopter for $3. Nice try!
As they were about to leave, I heard the mother talking to the owner of the yard sale. She was interested in a $30 electric guitar, but didn't have the money at the time. I wavered. Should I offer the money? They probably couldn't afford a teacher, and I had to wonder about the quality of the guitar. I decided to pass.
The next day I went grocery shopping. An elderly lady was jiggling with the carts and turned to me for assistance. She didn't understand that they required a quarter. She reached for her bag, but I produced one for her. Her smile told me that in some small way, I had made her day.
A few weeks ago, I was at Wendy's. A young man was short some change to pay for his order. I stepped up and offered to pay. The look on his face was priceless. You would have thought I had just handed him a million bucks!
How can we make someone's day? It doesn't require a lot of money. What it does require is an awareness of other's needs. Sometimes, it doesn't require any money at all. Perhaps it is simply a smile, a hug, a compliment, or a helping hand. Be available. Pay attention. Be a part of something good and rewarding.
Comments
Post a Comment