The Little Things

On Tuesday’s, my husband and I have what we call our Date Day.  It involves lunch followed by a movie at the mall.  Yesterday while dining on lobster bisque and sharing a plate of popcorn shrimp, the table next to us became occupied by three youngsters, two teachers, and a parent from a local elementary school.  There was animated chatter as they were seated and one of the teachers carried in a large plaque.  We couldn’t help but get caught up in their excitement. 

Because of the proximity of our tables, my husband and I couldn’t help but overhear their conversations, one of which was a teacher trying to control the cost of their meals.  It was obvious to us that they were on a strict budget and were hoping to have enough left over to grab a treat at the Dairy Queen before heading back to their classrooms.  I immediately reached into my wallet and withdrew a twenty dollar bill, handing to my husband.  He nodded his head and smiled as he offered the money to the teacher sitting just to his right, telling her that we would like to cover their Dairy Queen bill. 

The group was stunned to say the least and debated over whether to accept our offering.  After finally doing so, we learned that one of the students had written a speech which he had given at an awards ceremony that morning and had won second place.  The other two students had also won awards.  We congratulated them all on their successes and continued with our lunch. 

The group thanked us again as we were leaving the restaurant.  As we walked away, we wondered if we had planted a seed in those young lives.  We hoped so.  Love in action can move mountains.  If you ever find an opportunity like this available to you, please take it.  Not only will it make you feel good as a person, but you’ll be repaid for the kindness in ways you can’t even imagine.  The little things really can make a big impact.