Today I took my car in for an oil change. I pulled into the dealership, behind a red Camry just like mine. I got out of my car and stood behind several people in line to check in. The man who apparently was the owner of the other Camry told the attendant that he needed something out of his trunk. After he had retrieved his briefcase, I said to him, "I like your car."
He looked at me, then at my car, and said, "I like yours, too." We proceeded to have a short conversation about our cars, and just before it was his turn to check in, he said to me, "I'm glad you said something to me. I was getting pretty tense having to wait, and my whole attitude just turned around."
It was a gift to me just to have the conversation. But the unexpected bonus was his telling me that I had made a difference in his life just by talking to him. It was simply a few words between strangers, but it had made his morning better and he wanted to thank me for it.
I hope I remember Camry Man's words the next time someone makes me feel better, no matter how seemingly insignificant the effort. Because if someone changes my life for the better, then that person is my hero, even if it's a stranger at the service department.
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