I just have a little story for you today. My oldest daughter is 12 and has recently, in the past year, started to get a bit more shy. She’s always been my super outgoing child and I’ve always thought how lucky she is. I was nothing like that as a kid and honestly didn’t get my outgoing side out until I started working customer service jobs as a teen. Then I was pretty much forced to and it was life changing. 🙂

Anyway, I was quite pleased with her recently. We had gone to tractor supply co to get the girls bunnies some hay. I gave her some cash and told her she can just run in and grab it. She said she didn’t really want to because the cashier might talk to her. That’s her shy thing going on, she doesn’t like small talk with people she doesn’t know. Or even people she knows, but not well. Basically anyone who’s not her family or best friends. I told her it’s going to be just fine, they’re not going to force a deep conversation on her. 😂

She finally decided she will go in, as the bunnies really needed hay. It took her just a few minutes. However, she came hurriedly out of the store, jumped in the car, and said “that’s the last time I ever talk to someone again!”

I was like what happened? She said there was a lady in there with a cute fluffy puppy and she adored it, so she told the lady “your puppy is so cute!” And the lady responded by just looking at her and saying “okay.” And walked away.

Well first, I told her the lady was most likely not intending to be rude. I had seen the lady walking in with her puppy. And I’m also fairly decent at judging books by their cover. I told her that most likely, she took the lady by surprise. Maybe this lady wasn’t used to people talking to her. Maybe nobody talks to her in public.

I told kenz that there was a good chance she probably just made this lady’s day. Maybe she went home just happy someone had said a nice word to her. Maybe she had been having a terrible morning and couldn’t bring herself to respond to someone being friendly without breaking down. Or maybe she really was a bitter lady and was being rude. Lol. Who knows. I’m going with the former though because it was a seemingly good lesson.

I told her its always good to give someone a compliment or give them a friendly comment. Itll make you feel happier and the recipient feel happier. If your friend is wearing something you like, tell them you like it! If the store clerk has her hair done pretty, tell them! You could turn someone’s day around. They might just hold their head up the rest of the day with a smile on their face and be that much happier. All because of you. Nobody knows what anyone is dealing with in their life. Ever. And kindness goes so so far. Even a friendly wave can make someone feel included in the world. They’ll feel noticed and like they are someone. I’m hoping she will remember that and keep doing that. The world could always use more people doing kind things.