“Get up, get up! Get
up, get up!”
Blanca’s song “Get Up” blares from my iPod. As I roll over, my alarm clock then begins to
beep. It is 5:00 a.m. Time to start my day.
I sleepily rub my eyes and place Hope, my blind/deaf
Dachshund, on the floor. She charges off
down the hall barking and wagging her tail.
Hope knows that breakfast is soon to come.
My feet automatically find the pair of slippers that I keep
next to my side of the bed. I then make
the sleepy shuffle to the bathroom to wash my face. Feeling slightly more awake, I get dressed
and head to the kitchen.
Hope gets fed first.
If she does not, she will bark until food is placed into her pink
dish. With my cereal in hand, I happily
turn on an episode of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. This always starts my day off right.
Time for the war paint!
I love to listen to one of my favorite podcasts while painting my canvas. My top three podcasts are: The Jillian Michaels Show, FOMO Fanz by Brian
Fanzo and The Bryan Kramer show. Being
able to multitask while getting helpful fitness and entrepreneur tips is a big
time saver for me and also helps my brain to begin focusing.
After kissing my fur babies goodbye, I grab my lunch bag and
head out the door. Music begins blasting
from my car stereo. I am one of those
crazy people that loves to sing and make up little dances while driving. I hope that my fellow drivers don’t think I
am having a seizure!
Cresting the hill, I begin to smile. On the right side of the road stands a family
consisting of a father and his young son and daughter. They happily smile and wave to the traffic
passing by. I love waving back and
seeing the kids’ faces light up.
Even in the winter months, they man their post. I will never forget seeing the little girl
bundled up in her winter coat and pom-pom hat waving for all she was worth one
chilly December morning. Their father even
provides hot cocoa to keep them warm.
Sometimes, the family’s golden retriever joins in on the
fun. I have even witnessed the father
sans children standing by the side of the road with his morning cup of
coffee. This family is doing their part
to make a difference in this world. Just
the simple act of waving can truly brighten someone’s day. My heart always swells when I see them.
So often we feel that we need to do something huge in order
to make a difference. We believe that
smaller actions do not have a great impact. Or
even worse, we expect to get praise for our grand gestures.
This family is proving that change can be affected in the
smallest of actions. They are saying so
many things with each wave of their hands.
“Someone cares about you. Have a
great day! Pay the smile forward!”
I have often thought of pulling over and telling them how
much their kindness means to me. They
have truly become an important part of my life.
When I am having a bad morning, they turn it all around. I am reminded that selfless people do still
exist.
Seeing them also fills me with hope for future
generations. This father is definitely
raising his children right. He is
teaching them that the world is bigger than their cell phone screen. That there are more important things in life
than getting the highest score on Candy Crush.
Leading by example, the father is instilling a sense of
empathy. He is also taking the time to
invest in his children’s lives. They
could be standing alone at the end of their driveway waiting for the school bus
as many children tend to do. This man is
a shining example how all parents should behave.
We all have the power to make someone’s day just a little brighter. There is no need for flashing neon lights or
a mariachi band. It only takes a pebble
to create a thousand ripples. Maybe you
could start the ripple effect by smiling at a stranger you pass on the
street. Try purchasing an extra
breakfast burrito on your morning McDonald’s run and give it to a homeless
person that you see on the corner.
Compliment a co-worker on his/her outfit or hair style.
Be brave! Take the
first step in making the world a better place.
Together, we can be the change.
