When the farmers' market is open mid-spring to mid-fall, we try to go every Saturday. While I like to peruse the fresh vegetables and plants, Gwendolyn likes to get fresh cut flowers. She is a very loyal customer too because each week she visits the same booth.
Last year on her birthday we went out there that morning to get a watermelon and some thank you flowers for my cousin for letting us have her party at her house, and Gwendolyn told the man from her usual booth as she was paying for her flowers that it was her birthday. He smiled, told her Happy Birthday and generously gave her the flowers she was getting for herself rather than having her pay him. Later as we were going through what she got for her birthday and making thank you cards, she remembered the flowers and made the man a card and hand delivered it to him the following week.
That was the end of the story I thought, and I was just happy she had thanked him.
His granddaughter plays tee-ball with Gwendolyn and he too is at nearly every game. We smile and make small talk, that is about it. He walked up to me Tuesday during the game and said "I just realized who Gwendolyn was this week." I smiled and just thought he was talking about how we bought flowers every week or maybe referring to the fact that my sister and his daughter played softball for many years together. My mom cocked her head though, and he further explained about how he had given her flowers and she brought him a thank you card. He talked about how sweet it was (though he probably didn't use the word sweet, guys rarely do) and you could tell that it had made an impression.
Both his gesture and Gwendolyn's were simple gestures, but both made lasting happy impressions.
the picture above has nothing to do with the story other than Gwendolyn is in it. Gwendolyn wanted to take a picture of the two of us the other day after a long day of working in the yard and I hadn't shared it yet, so I figured this was as good an opportunity as any.
Linking up with Emily and embracing the camera
Sweet sweet story. Both were very kind gestures. I love simple kindness. I recently made eye contact with a man and smiled in passing. He thanked me for smiling because so many people don't. Makes you think.
ReplyDeleteI love stories like this. You have a beautiful daughter, inside and out. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are raising an amazing daughter!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl!
ReplyDeleteaw. how sweet!! and what an adorable pic :)
ReplyDelete