One of Facebook’s redeeming qualities is that it has the On This Day feature. I love having it remind me of what we were doing on a particular day in years prior. This particular memory was a beautiful reminder to us about what matters. Since I did not have this blog at this point last year, I figured I would share it here today. Be a source of good in the world. Let those you love know it. Be kind to a stranger. You never know when they need it most. Also, it doesn’t even have to involve money; you don’t need to buy someone a meal. A smile goes a long way. Happy New Year. Please be safe!

December 31, 2015:

Tonight, Todd and I took the kids out to dinner. There was an older couple next to us with their adult daughter. The daughter clearly had developmental disabilities and was occasionally yelling out or getting overly excited, as this was her way of expression. The mother, looking embarrassed, tried to calm her down each time. I went to the manager and told them about this family and said that my family wanted to anonymously pay for their meal. He was so happy to hear this, and helped me make that happen. He thanked me profusely and told me that his niece had developmental disabilities as well and this warms his heart because he knows how tough things are for his sister who raises her. I told him that we wanted them to enjoy their meal thoroughly and know that their daughter wasn’t a burden or an annoyance. When it was time to bring their bill, the manager explained the whole situation to them and the couple was flabbergasted. They said they couldn’t believe that someone would do that for them and that they couldn’t accept it. The manager told them that all was said and done and that they had a note for them on the top of their receipt. I had written “You have a beautiful family. Happy New Year!” Watching from the next table, we couldn’t help but notice the tears in their eyes and the look of disbelief on their faces. They walked away happily, hugging their adult daughter and comforting her. The manager and their waiter both separately came to us again to tell us what an impact we had made and how happy we made these people.

This is not intended as a brag, but as a challenge to simply be a good human. This world is a crazy, scary place. Respect each other and always let your loved ones know how much they mean to you. Happy New Year, friends. Stay safe and choose love.