Last week I was patiently waiting in the deli line at my go-to grocery store. I was daydreaming about the French dip sandwiches I had planned – perfectly crusted bread, slightly chewy in the middle and slathered with horseradish sauce, gooey melted cave-aged provolone cheese on top of perfectly layered thin-sliced, rare roast beef, all coming together to go for a swim in a homemade caramelized onion au jus. Mmmmm, drool, yum! This is not a story about sandwich love, but I bet it played a small part in what happened next….
As I stood there daydreaming, I noticed an older gentleman grab the last of his deli packages and turn to walk away. We made eye contact and I smiled, probably wishing he could see the amazing French dip that was being built in my mind. Without hesitation he walked right over to me and said, “That smile is going to change lives”. He proceeded to point out his wife and said that she was his VA nurse when he came home from the Vietnam War. He proudly exclaimed that her smile changed his life over 50 years ago. I was touched, really touched, like a happy punch to the heart. I expressed gratitude for his kind words, but nothing I said could measure up to his simple and powerful comment. Mostly I just tried to shower him with love through an even bigger smile – full body style. I asked if his wife still takes good care of him, to which he smiled back at me, did a little nod, and said, ‘You have no idea’ as he was walking away to meet her.
– Leslie, New Hampshire
