I was doing a little email back and forth with someone from Craigslist this morning, nailing down when and where to meet up to exchange the whatsits, and this seemingly insignificant interaction ended up having a profound impact on me.
The seller was helpful and accommodating with my schedule, and when he found out I was driving from a couple hours away and had plans to check out a BBQ joint while in town, he took the time to recommend a great spot.
Keep in mind, I wasn’t buying a thousand dollar thingie from him; I was handing over a whopping $50, and yet he handled the interaction like a concierge at a luxury hotel.
After thanking him for offering to meet me at the restaurant, he ended the exchange with, “My pleasure. Have a great weekend.”
Simple, right? And yet while reading this deliberate expression of graciousness and generosity, I found myself with a big ol’ smile on my face.
I went on to check more emails, still beaming, and my happiness spilled into all of my communications: “Hope you’re having a fab morning!” ” Can’t wait to see you, love!” “Thought of you when I read this…”
I cued up the audio for a class I’m taking, and as the lecturer began to speak, I found myself thinking, “Man, I just love this guy! He’s such a fantastic teacher, and wow, is he ever great at…”
You never really know, do you, how one little email you send, one kind word, one genuine smile to a stranger will affect them, and ripple outward in ways unforeseen and downright magical.
Let’s make those interactions count.
Intend to spread a little more joy today, even if it’s as simple as signing off with a heartfelt, “My pleasure. Have a great weekend.”
And to see how deeply you can change (even save) a person’s life with the tiniest of efforts, check out The Story That Changed My Life. Make sure you have some tissues handy.
