Life Changing

I was at the commisary the other day ( army grocery store) and I met a man by the name of Harold. Vietnam vet shopping in a little motorized shopping cart. Reaching for a bottle of soda that he couldnt quite get. So i asked the man if I could help him a little bit with his shopping. He accepted and I finished walking down the aisle with him helping him get some peanuts, beef jerky and more soda.. ( what a health nut) at the end me helping him he turned to me and said ” I lost my wife Rita about a month ago and you remind me of her. Your soul pours out on other people and You sure are gonna change a lot of peoples lives just with your smile.” Holding back a tear I thanked him and just kept on shopping for myself this time. Not forgetting what this man had said I kept just thinking and thinking about his comment. And how much it touched me. I then thought about some of the other conversation we had while strolling down that soda and snack aisle. He had just been smiling the whole time and acting like he had the world in his fingertips. Even though he was 89 years old. I want to be like that. I want to be 89 years old riding around in a motorized shopping cart BECAUSE I CAN and just be happy with everything ive done in my past and present. I want to be all smiles all the time like Harold. All the things he has probably seen and lost in his life he still takes the time to get to know a complete stranger and actually let someone help him. I drove home and instead of blaring some bass pumping song i turned down the radio rolled down my window and just looked around and noticed things along the road i never have. The dandilions that are half blown in the field by the old elementary school, the brick walls holding up little kids as they play hand clap games, and then the willow tree outside my neighbors house . I never noticed those things before im always seeming to be in a hurry to get to where i need or want to go and i dont enjoy everything. I got home and just kind of felt enlightened for some reason . The four sentences this man had told me i feel changed my whole life. I am no longer going to questioin myself or my worth. If a man who has known me for 5 minutes can make such a strong asssumption about me why cant I? I wish that I had the opportunity to tell the man back ” No you are the one who could change someones life just with YOUR SMILE. So thank you Harold.