A couple of years ago I was walking into a UPS store with my hands full of packages. A boy of about 7 held the door for me and I said, "Thanks, man", as I went in. I asked a woman in the store if she was his mom. She looked at me and hesitatingly said, "Yes". I said, "You got a good dude out there." and I saw tears form in her eyes. She smiled proudly and said with what I think was relief, "Thank you!". I could tell my words had struck her hard and I prepared for a hug that seemed likely to be coming. But she contained it and we parted ways. As I left the store, I felt like a million dollars. And she felt like a million dollars. And here I am a couple of years later still thinking about it occasionally. I don't know, but I got the feeling she perhaps had her share of people that had made her feel bad lately, that perhaps had criticized her about her son. Maybe he wasn't doing well in school or had trouble sitting still and she was feeling frustrated and alone. I'm a pretty good judge of character and I think he was probably a good kid (most are), but not perfect and people are all too ready to point out someone else's shortcomings...even a childs. Who knows? But I know what I said mattered to her far more than I imagined it might.
It takes so little to make someone's day. It takes so little to make someone feel seen, that they matter, that they're worthwhile, that they're not alone.