The Power of his “Thank You”

This morning there’s a man who’s going to go about his Monday like usual not realizing that little me is sitting at home in Kansas still thinking about his random act of kindness.

On Saturday morning, we woke up in our hotel in small-town Ennis, Texas, and Jamie took Hadley down to the continental breakfast while I squeezed in a run on the treadmill. We met back upstairs in our room a little while later, and Jamie was barely in the door before he was spitting out what had just happened to him.

He struck up small talk with another hotel-stayer eating breakfast, and his Army career came up. A few minutes after they finished talking, a man who Jamie guesses is in his 70s came up to him, told him that he couldn’t help but overhear his conversation, and that he too had spent a few years serving in the military. He quickly handed Jamie a $100 bill and thanked him for his service. Jamie immediately thanked the man and attempted to give the money back, but as the man and his wife walked away he told Jamie to keep it and to use it for his family or to bless somebody else. He also squeezed in a Merry Christmas, and he walked away.

After he told me this, my mouth was on the floor. I’ve heard of service members receiving random acts of kindness before, but nothing like this has ever happened to us/him. I was (and still am) just so appreciative of that man encouraging my husband in this way.

December 1st is my own personal green light to get in the Christmas spirit, and this man’s action really kicks this season off on the right foot for me. An action that was surely so easy and mindless for him to do means the world to us, and I just wish I could find him and give him a big ole hug and say thank you!

His action is a perfectly-timed reminder that this season is the season of giving more and loving more, and that even small actions of thoughtfulness and appreciation can potentially go a really long way.

Be encouraged to go love on somebody! Hope you all have a fabulous week.