This is a story about my husband.
You see Chris now and again on this blog, and I've talked about all sorts of things that we've gone and done, and recently I did a whole segment on our marriage. But I've never really devoted an entire post to him outside of father's day.
I'm participating in Folgers "The Best Part" program which is all about sharing positive, inspiring, encouraging and uplifting stories. And this story is the very first one that came to mind.
Recently, my parents had some damage to their basement and Chris was overseeing and coordinating the repair work. Chris is one of those charismatic people who can talk to anyone and become fast friends with them, so it came as no surprise to me when he came home one day talking about a handful of people I hadn't met, but that he was now good enough friends with to know their whole life story.
A few days later, he walked in the house looking a little preoccupied with something. I asked him what was going on and he began to tell me a story about a man named Dave. Dave is a concrete mason who was injured on another job a few weeks before coming to work at my parent's house. It was a freak accident and he ended up having surgery on and then losing one of his eyes. He had to take two weeks off work before he was allowed to return and his time off was unpaid. He was worried sick about his home...he was going to have to default on his rent payment because of the accident and unpaid sick leave.
I knew without asking what Chris would do. Minutes after hearing his story, Chris went to the ATM and handed Dave cash for his rent payment. He didn't want a thank you and if there had been a way to give Dave the money without him knowing who it was from, I'm sure he would have done it.
Because it's not about the thanks or the recognition. It's about brightening someone's day, helping them out of a dark place, lifting their spirits or simply lending a listening ear.
Its something we can all do, every day, without even having to spend a dime.
How have you been a light in someone's life lately?
The Best Part is an online community that’s dedicated to brightening your day—every day. How? By spreading optimism, one share at a time. The Best Part posts inspirational stories, encouraging quotes, good news and other upbeat items on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—and encourages fans and followers to share that optimism with their friends. Because when optimism is shared, it grows, making an even more positive impact on our world.
