We were at the Christmas Parade of Lights in Denver on Friday. We were running a little late and we were supposed to meet another couple down there.
I am looking for a place to park and we settle on one of those parking lots close to downtown. It is one of those places where you park and then you go to this ATM looking thing and pay 10 bucks to park for the night. It is a beautiful night - 52 degrees and no wind, perfect night for the parade.
We go to pay and there is a line of about 20 people waiting to buy tickets and hustle down to the parade. At the head of the line is a young Hispanic couple with a young kid and they are struggling with the ticket machine. They are trying to feed a 10 bill in the machine and it keeps spitting it out. Everyone in line is starting to grumble and look at watches. The couple is starting to feel the bad vibe and they are trying harder to get the machine to take the 10 dollar bill.
You mom asks me for my wallet and walks past 20 grumbling people and asks them if she can try her credit card and they can give her the 10 bucks. Everyone there (including me) is wondering why we did not do what mom did. Mom has trouble with the card and all of the sudden everyone wants to help. People start talking to each other, someone calls the number on the box and everyone gets to the parade on time.
Out of that entire group of people (me included) the only person that acted like a human being and extended a young couple a hand was your mom. One person's grace changed a grumbling group of 20 people into human beings again. The rest of us where just hell bent to get there on time.
Never underestimate the power and elegance of a simple act of courtesy.
Your mom does not think twice about this kind of stuff. When you see her next, hug her long and hard. The grace that you both have is no accident...
Love Dad
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