Small things that made a big difference

Did you ever have something happen to you or a conversation with someone that changed your outlook or just stuck with you?

I had an experience a few weeks ago and to this day I still think of it and feel so sad.

I was in Home Depot on my lunch break (not the day I bought my hinges another day) I was dressed up in work clothes and had on peep toe shoes. I of course did not watch the weather so I didn't know it was going to rain. My feet were very cold and very wet.

I was standing at the check yourself out check out. A gentleman that works at Home Depot was seated behind a counter. He was monitoring the check outs and would halp anyone having trouble.

He was so cheerful and he said to me 'oh I love your shoes I see the bad weather does not prevent you from wearing nice stuff.' I smiled at him, thanked him and said 'at least someone appreciates my cold toes and wet feet.' He laughed and I finished with my check out.

As I was walking out I said goodbye and as I walked past his counter I realized that he was not seated behind the counter on a chair as I had thought but he was in a wheel chair. I was further shocked to see that he did not have legs.

I felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Here I was complaining about cold toes to a man without legs. I am pretty sure that man didn't give what I said a second thought because it was just friendly banter and I wasn't really complaining I was joking with him but that day will stay with me forever. It's like that Russian proverb 'I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.' I had heard that before but truly living it has changed me for the better (I hope)

Sorry for such a long story but if you have any similiar stories I would love to hear them.

Writing that story broke my heart all over again

wow.. what a story...

sometimes if i do see someone handicapped, i will just think to myself how lucky i am..

Wow, that would totally stay with me too!

I think in the past year I've come to see that even though I don't have everything I want and would like to have, that I am VERY lucky to have the things that I do and that there are so many people who don't have even basic necessities.

So what I can't afford to get multiple pairs of $200 designer jeans, and that fancy bag that I'd love to carry around. I have nice/decent things and a home, a wonderful husband and family, friends etc. And even though I have a couple of health issues, I am so thankful that it's not worse, like a disease or anything.

Stories like this just remind me to be so appreciative of the things we DO have.

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Posted by MrsQ-in2007

Wow, that would totally stay with me too!

I think in the past year I've come to see that even though I don't have everything I want and would like to have, that I am VERY lucky to have the things that I do and that there are so many people who don't have even basic necessities.

So what I can't afford to get multiple pairs of $200 designer jeans, and that fancy bag that I'd love to carry around. I have nice/decent things and a home, a wonderful husband and family, friends etc. And even though I have a couple of health issues, I am so thankful that it's not worse, like a disease or anything.

Stories like this just remind me to be so appreciative of the things we DO have.

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I couldn't agree with you more. It's so easy to forgot how lucky we are to have the things we do have

wow thats a powerful story, i got goosbumps!!!

I know exactly what it feels like, and you can go back to that feeling at that exact moment when it hits you, for like forever!!!

what a sweet story...i mean not that he was in a wheel chair and all...but just how one person you don't even know can affect you.

Here's my story...one day I was shopping at Target...and this older gentleman was ringing me up..so we were talking...he was slow but i was in no rush...and he was telling me how he didn't need to work for money but did it to get out of the house because his wife recently died and he was lonely in his house by himself...

It was just so sweet and sad, sweet because he obviously loved his wife so much after all the years...i told him I was sorry for his loss but that it was nice chatting with him......the tears started coming as I headed for the door and it made me remember to appreciate each day I have with DH because the day will come someday when we are parted

wow these stories are such eye openers !!!! Thank you for sharing ladies

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Posted by MrsQ-in2007

Wow, that would totally stay with me too!

I think in the past year I've come to see that even though I don't have everything I want and would like to have, that I am VERY lucky to have the things that I do and that there are so many people who don't have even basic necessities.

So what I can't afford to get multiple pairs of $200 designer jeans, and that fancy bag that I'd love to carry around. I have nice/decent things and a home, a wonderful husband and family, friends etc. And even though I have a couple of health issues, I am so thankful that it's not worse, like a disease or anything.

Stories like this just remind me to be so appreciative of the things we DO have.

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Yep same here! I think its those small moments that make differences if we stop and appreciate them.

A few weeks ago I was running to work and wanted to get fruit from a fruit stand but only had a big bill to pay with. I told him I would be right back because he had already bagged mmy fruit purchase. I planned to buy like a bagel across the street and then just come back because I only had 1.25 and owed him another 1.50.

He told me just to take it and come back tommorow and even though I assured him I would be back in just 5 min, he told me to go and he knew I'd come back tomorrow.

And I did and he smiled when he saw me and I thanked him for trustign em and he said 'Why wouldn't I? YOu have a godo face.'

he man wasn't hitting on me or nada. Just decided to have a little faith. It sounds so silly but because he was kind to me I tried paying it forward a little more than usual.


Its the small moments in life.