In hope of saving a few dollars on doors and windows, a friend took me to Jacksonville this weekend to bargain shop. I purposely wore my Celebrate Recovery shirt in anticipation of connecting with a curious conversationalist. The phrase on the back of the shirt reads, “Where I am going is more important than where I have been.”

With little success finding bargains, we began the trek home, by way of Chick fila. As we stood off to the side and waited on our food, one of the employees commented on my shirt. She shared about her church and her favorite purple shirt that talked about being blessed. As we conversed she got emotional and explained that since her stroke, she cries at the drop of a hat.

Her tears were beautiful. They weren’t superficial or from a place of sadness. Those tears were droplets of praise and blessing. Thanksgiving and joy leaked from the corners of her eyes with every word. She shared about her faith in God and a recent mission trip. She talked about Lydia, the seller of purple fabric in the bible, and how they had the same name. Purple had become her favorite color as a result of this story.

As we finally wrapped up the conversation, she told us that her job was an opportunity to be a blessing to her customers every single day. Be a blessing. Every. Single. Day. She could have become a recluse after her stroke and bottled insecure thoughts. She could have simply done her job and restocked items and refilled drinks. But in the chaos of her responsibility, she chose to see the people she was serving. She chose to connect with them, even when so many of them are disconnected. She chose to bless them without expectation.

Wow. What a powerful reminder. No matter our age, health, occupation or religious beliefs, we can choose to be a blessing to those we encounter. What a simple goal that can absolutely change someone else’s life. Be a blessing this week. Every. Single. Day.