What A Dollar Can Buy

I’ve been patiently waiting for cold weather to arrive, and received a preview a few days ago. I took to the Stony Run Trail with a friend, trying to get him to be more active in the new year. Thus far he’s committed to a hike and a walk. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more. I like my "me" time with nature, but always appreciate company, too. I’m all for benign banter between two people because of the silliness and laughter that emanates, and of course, it makes exercising feel less rigorous.

I think we both know what got him out the door, especially on Monday. It was the promise of Starbucks. Perhaps this is misplaced motivation, but as I always say, whatever it takes, but only if it’s doing more good than bad. (There’s no point of working out if you’re just going to put the calories immediately back on, but I digress.)

Tuesday was a different story. We received our first real taste of winter. It’s here, for the time being, and I made the most of it, walking to the Enoch Pratt Library (central branch) to return borrowed materials, through the neighborhood of Reservoir Hill to photograph beautiful architecture, and then finally to Druid Hill Park to run around the reservoir.

It was rough running against the wind. I was telling friends on Facebook I think I might be too old to run in the cold (written with nervous laughter), because only after the first mile did it get a little easier, but not much. I think I’ll need a few weeks to adjust to the temperature, but I’m up for a challenge. (Thank you, Clarence, for your bit of inspiration. Your comment of, "You were only too old for the first mile," made me smile, and I’ll remember that when I’m out running tomorrow morning. Your words will get me through!)

As I mentioned in an earlier post (Happiness and Joy), my New Year is getting off to a wonderful start, and it’s definitely because of the people I’ve met, many of them truly wanting to put their best foot forward.

For those who are unwilling to do just that, the rest of us will try to pick up the slack until you’re able to get your act together and join the masses in what I call The Campaign to Good Health, and it begins with a "smile" and/or perhaps a "hello," and ends with "goodbye" and/or "thank you." There’s better living through smiles and kind words. To what I trust are only a few, I beg you to think about the latter the next time you open your mouth or don’t, when you should. (I hope a few of the front desk clerks at the library remember this. This economy demands you be thankful for your job, showing this by presenting well to your customers – even when you are feeling less than yourself. When someone says, "Hello," don’t grunt, but say hello back. Civility is mandatory.)

The best part of my day happened when I made a stop at CVS to pick up vitamins. I was number two in line at the cash register. I wasn’t in a hurry, not talking to anyone and was thinking to myself what I might make for dinner (I become creative on cold days, thus my excitement to play in the kitchen. BTW: it was all about asparagus soup, served with hummus and pasta primavera.)

The elderly woman in front of me had nothing in her hand, but asked the clerk, "Can I get a bag of potato chips for a dollar?" The clerk replied, "Yes." No sooner after did she quickly grab a bag and jumped back in line. She appeared intensely anxious to get those chips. She handed her money to the clerk (two quarters, a few dimes, some nickels and pennies).

What happened next was strangely weird. Something inside of me demanded I give her a dollar. I’ve given money to homeless people, purchased food for others, etc, but this was different. It was like I had no control. My hand went into my pocket and I pulled out a dollar, and gave it to her. I couldn’t even feel my hand moving – too strange. She took the money and looked at me for the longest time and said, "Really?! Thank you! Thank you!" She acted as if I gave her the world. The clerk said, "That was nice. It will come back to you," and my reply, "It already has, because it made the three of us smile and isn’t that what life is all about?" (When I left the store I saw this woman once more. I’ve never seen someone enjoy a bag of chips more. My heart was heavy.)

I was thinking to myself during my walk home that we are all human and we truly need to look out for each other, but so many times we don’t because of selfishness and greed. It’s a hard job, and so many fall through the cracks (like my friend, Jeffrey), but we are nothing if we don’t at least try to help those in need, if not just to offer a bit of comfort. If we listen and look closely, I believe there is something so innate that it lets us know when to help. Sadly, more often than not we don’t want to get involved and/or become shy, and let me not forget how terribly jaded we are. It’s time we step outside our comfort zone.

I always hope I do my share to make the world a better place, and I am hopeful my soul will devour today’s good deed, remembering it each time an opportunity presents itself, aiding in my ability to make the right choice.

The better choice is to live modestly, but comfortably… To give without expectation, and if something is received, may it only be a warm feeling in your heart.

We are only a few days into the New Year, and I hope my good future continues, and it will if I do my part. What can a dollar buy? More than you think! It put food in the tummy of someone who was apparently hungry, and it also fed three starving souls who simply needed to believe in the goodness of others. – paerki