The Value of Kindness

Today I had the great opportunity to see the effects of a good deed I did a few weeks ago. I don't tell this story to toot my own horn, but to make a point. Here's how it went:

Once upon a time, I went to Chick-fil-a at least once a week for the first half of the semester. I noticed in all my times going, that there was one girl who worked there who seemed extra special. I know that Chick-fil-a is known for their friendly employees, but this girl was really something else. Her kindness was more sincere than the required politeness. And she had the most beautiful smile that I've ever seen in my life. So a few weeks ago I went into the restaurant for lunch. I decided that I wanted to tell that girl that I thought she had a beautiful smile and that I appreciated how sweet she was. So I did. When I was finished eating, I asked her to refill my cup, and then I gave her the compliment. I just did it because I figured that it would make my day if someone said something like that to me. I went on my way hoping that I had brightened her day a little bit.

Now fast forward to today. I went back to Chick-fil-a for the first time since that incident. It just so happened that this same girl was the one that took my order. She didn't say anything about our last interaction, but I could tell she remembered. This time she treated me like I was her friend. We talked about our weekend plans while she was taking my order and getting my drink. Then as I was leaving, she went out of her way to come ask me if I wanted her to tip off my lemonade before I left.

I don't know if I did this story justice, or accurately described the tenderness of the whole thing. But the point of the story is this. Three weeks ago, I extended a little kindness to a stranger, and I had no way of knowing that nearly a month later, I would still be able to see the effects of that. So never hesitate to be kind to someone. You never know what it will mean to them.

PS- If you haven't seen the video "Validation", you really should. The link is on the side of my blog.