A Simple Opportunity to Make a Difference

Today a co-worker and I were riding down the road discussing a road construction project that is currently being done in our area. Every time we travel this one stretch of road it becomes necessary to stop and wait in traffic for varying lengths of time. In the recent past and on several occasions on my commute, I was forced to stop, but found my self greatly humbled while observing this one construction worker. His job was to flip a sign from stop to slow, allowing traffic to pass. What really struck me was his attitude. He was not just a guy standing on the side of the road in a hard hat, sweating to death in the blaring sunshine. He was much more than that. As each car approached to drive by, he purposefully made eye contact with his passers-by, smiled and waved. He greeted each person he saw with a thoroughly sincere expression of what we should all be practicing more in our lives; authentic love and respect for others. It is as though he was put there to make all our days brighter. Simple acts of kindness go a long way. This perfect stranger is someone I will not easily forget. I will try to live by his example, simply because I experienced what his simple gestures had to offer. He made not only one day, but many days better in my life, for that I am grateful.