A Strange Compliment

“You are a kind and patient man.” – A Stranger

A Strange Compliment

It felt as if there were people everywhere!  I was stuck in a line that seemed to never end and it hardly moved.  I looked to my left and to my right. There was nowhere to turn.  I was hemmed in by steel and flesh.  Everyone was a stranger.

I’ve always thought there was pleasant anonymity in being surrounded by strangers.  So, when my phone beckoned I didn’t hesitate to answer it.  After all, I didn’t know anyone around me and I had at least an additional twenty minutes to wait in line.  The only thing I was worried about was if the ice cream bars in my shopping cart would melt before I could even pay for them.  At least that’s what I thought until the caller began to speak.

The person calling me was agitated from the moment I answered the call.  It wasn’t a hostile conversation, but I spent most of the call trying to be calming, help the other person and make progress toward a solution.   Our exchange would sort of calm down.  Then it would escalate again and I would reach out in soothing words once more.  This process went on for about a half hour until we had come to an ending point and I touched the screen of my phone to end the call.  It had been a worrying and frustrating process for me and I supposed that no one surrounding me had even paid attention.  But someone had!

The woman in front of me was just finishing her checkout process.  She was about to walk away with her groceries when she turned to me and said, “You are a very kind and patient man!”

I replied awkwardly and with a surprised look on my face, “Thank you.”

What I really felt was a relief wash over my whole body.  Her words completely wrapped me in a shield of comfort, washing the stress of the phone call away.  It was a feeling I’ll always remember?  So, I turned back to her.

“Thank you for saying so.  You’ve made a huge difference. Your words mean the world to me.”

Then, she smiled and replied. “I just felt prompted to say it to you, so I did.”

I smiled back.  She walked away with her full grocery cart.  I walked away with a full heart.

I’ve held this experience in my heart for just over two weeks now and I’ve wondered if I should share it with you.  As you’re reading it, I clearly decided to share it, because knowing you and I can have an amazing impact on a stranger is something we should all keep in mind.