Be the light

I had a conversation with a gentleman earlier today, and I thought I would share it here.  I’m hoping you find it worthwhile, as well as entertaining.  I got a lot from our chat, really enjoyed it, and have been carrying it with me since.

I was working my retail job at L.L. Bean, when I greeted an older gentleman, who was finding a spot to wait while his wife made some purchases.

“Good morning,” I said.  “How’s your day going today?”

He paused a second before answering, “I’d give it a B-.”

“Is there anything we could do to make it an A?” I queried.

Another pause as he considered.  “How about world peace?”

Now it was my turn to pause.  Given recent events, I’ve been thinking about this a lot.  Not knowing what else to say, I answered simply and sincerely, “All I know to do, is to try to do my part on a personal level.  I really try my best not to cause anybody else harm.”

He said nothing for a few seconds, and then offered, “That’s a really good answer.”

I have to admit I wasn’t expecting the direction of this conversation, or his comment.  It caught me and gave a quick tug on my heart.  Connection.

Luckily, he changed the subject.  With the first hint of grumpiness I had seen from him, he explained the obvious, “I’m just waiting while my wife buys things.”

“So,” I asked him, “Is anything she’s buying, for you?”

He leaned close, and with a smile, whispered conspiratorially, “Yes.”  He then added, “Maybe that makes it a B+.”

That made me smile.

I asked him if they had any plans for the rest of the day.

“I’m retired,” he explained.  “That means I never have to make any plans anymore.”  He continued praising retirement, and suggested I should give it a try.

“I’ve got some more years to work before I can try out your suggestion,” I joked.

To which he replied, “It’s only work when you’re not enjoying what you’re doing.”

“Well, then,” I said.  “I guess I’m doing alright, because this conversation hasn’t felt like work at all.”

 

What can I tell you?  In the span of a couple minutes, I shared a thoughtful conversation and enjoyable connection with a friendly stranger, and it completely made my day.

You never can tell…  So, how’s your day going today?