“The time to be happy is now. The
place to be happy is here. The way to be
happy is to make others so.” ~ Robert Ingersoll
The young waitress watched him
shuffle slowly into the restaurant. With
head tilted and shoulders bent forward, he leaned on his trusty cane with each measured
step.
Something about Leo separated
him from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable was the twinkle in his eyes
when he spoke; he had such a soft and gentle voice. Cheryl could tell by the way he talked that
he didn’t have much education, but there was a certain wisdom about him that
she couldn’t quite put her finger on. He
seemed to study people – not in nosy sort of way, but in a manner that
suggested a caring authenticity.
“Good morning Leo, welcome
back!” Cheryl said warmly. “The usual?”
Without a word, Leo smiled and
nodded agreeably.
Steadying him with one arm, she
helped him into his usual booth by the window and get comfortably seated. She leaned his cane against the table where he
could reach it.
In a soft, clear voice Leo
said, “Thank you, Cheryl . . . and bless
you for your kindness.”
“You're always welcome, Leo,” she
replied and placed a ‘recycled’ newspaper on the table. “I'll be back in a flash; if you need
anything at all in the mean time, just wave at me!”
She busily waited on other
customers while he finished the paper in silence. “Thanks,” he gestured when she bought his
order and refilled his coffee cup.
After he’d finished a hearty
meal of oatmeal, crisp bacon and hot lemon tea, Cheryl brought him the change
from his bill. She helped him up and out
of the booth before handing him his cane for the short walk to the front door.
Holding the door open for him,
she said, “See you next week Leo, have a blessed week!”
He turned with his whole body,
winked, then nodded a thank you. “You’re
very kind, dear,” he whispered softly.
When Cheryl went to clean his
table, she almost fainted. Under his
plate was $300 in cash for his $7 breakfast. He’d scribbled a small note on the napkin
which read, “Thank you, Cheryl. You’ve
found the secret to happiness - your smile and friendly service over the years
gave me something to look forward to every week after my wife passed. I’m moving to Long Island this evening to live
with my son and his family. May the rest
of your life be magical.”
Acts of kindness are not difficult or expensive. With a little bit of imagination and
forethought you can bring an abundance of cheer to an elderly friend or
relative. We are all going to be in
their shoes one day (hopefully) so keep them in the top of your thoughts and do
your part to help. It will surely bring
you more happiness than those you help!
Lord
of life, help me savor every season as a gift filled with promise. Grant me the strength to lovingly accept Your
will, that when the moment of my ‘passage’ comes, I shall have no regret for
what I leave behind. Amen
