Lessons From the Edge

A kind word makes a big difference.

Wednesday I drove a group of residents around for about an hour on a Fall Color Tour. (That's one of the things I love about Michigan - the beautiful change in colors every autumn. *ahhhh!*) I was hoping, yes - praying - for a lovely sunny day for our color tour, because the sunshine makes the colored leaves even more beautiful. But, alas, it was cloudy as we drove Wednesday.
Unfortunately, some of the residents made negative comments about the cloudy sky and I was disappointed for their lack of enthusiasm. Oh, how I wanted them to enjoy our trip!

But then I heard, what was that?

Oooohhhhs and aaaahhhhs coming from the seat behind me.
It was L, fawning over the beautiful colors.
"Would you look at that!"
"What beautiful colors!"
"Look at that Sumac! That red bush there, that's a Sumac. You can't get rid of those things, I tell you. My Don dug and dug and dug the ones in our yard, but they always came back!"
"Oh! That's lovely!"
"There's another Sumac. Do you know you can't get rid of those?"
"Oh, what gorgeous trees!"
Listening to L's positive comments was like music to my ears. The negative comments others had made were somehow drown out by her words. *Ahhhhhh!*

So, if you see someone today who looks a little down, may I encourage you to offer them a kind word?

A kind word makes a big difference.