With a little help from our friends

o7Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind

word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of

caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

f7 -- LEO BUSCAGLIA

{LDQUO}T hank you for your smile and your friendly attitude,” the

cashier said to me. “It’s been one of those days, and I have bills

and problems waiting for me when I get home after a long drive in

traffic. You were just the person at just the right time to give me

that little pick-me-up that I needed. There’s power in positive

attitudes; thanks for sharing with me.”

I smiled at her and told her I always appreciated her

friendliness, even when there were long lines and customers seemed

short on patience. I told her I agreed with her about power in

positive attitudes and that we all benefit from kindness.

After I loaded my bags of groceries into the car, I was about to

return my cart when a man who had just parked next to me came over

and asked if I was finished. When I told him I was, he said, “Well,

I’m heading that way. I’ll be happy to take it for you.”

I thanked him and then headed over to fill my car with gas.

I’d just put the pump in when I noticed the driver of the car in

front of me had started his engine, but the lid to his gas tank was

still open, and the gas cap was hanging down. I walked up to the open

passenger window and said, “Excuse me, but your gas cap isn’t on.”

I looked inside and could tell that I startled the woman, but the

man smiled and said he’d get it. I told him it was easy for me to do

it, so I did.

The driver leaned over to the passenger side and said, “Thank you

so much, that was really kind of you.”

I went back to finish with my car, when the driver at the pump

next to me said, “You know, you just don’t see people helping each

other out the way you used to. That was a nice thing you did.”

I told him it was a very simple thing and took all of 30 seconds

of my time. He smiled and said, “Little things can make a big

difference. It was good to see.”

As I drove away, I kept thinking of a friend I hadn’t seen in a

while. When I got home, I called her.

“I can’t believe you called me,” she said to me. “God must have

sent you to me like an angel today, because I’ve been crying all day,

and your call came at just the right time. Thank you so much. You

really have no idea what this means to me.”

We talked for quite some time, and she said she felt much better.

She also thanked me several times again for calling before we hung

up.

I didn’t feel like I’d done that much, but I listened to her, and

I told her I cared about her. Many friends have done that for me, and

it has really encouraged me.

It was a day where I was reminded that little things can make a

big difference.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at

[email protected] or through the mail at 537 Newport Center

Drive, Box 505, Newport Beach, CA 92660.