The $2 Bill

$2 bills are rare. Let's not let kindness be rare. 

This Thanksgiving, I am thanking for The $2 Bill.

My family and I have been going to this small country church for the past five months. When I say small, I'm talking about 20-25 people each Sunday. It's the type of church that when it's time to "greet each other," everybody gets out of their pews and walks around and shakes hands with each person, including the pastor. It's the type of church that when someone is gone, it's obvious and where everyone sits in the same spot, essentially having a "seating chart." So that's the context of this story. 

I had a birthday on November 15th. The next Sunday after my birthday, my name was in the bulletin under "November Birthdays."  I thought that was nice, but didn't think much of it. Tuesday night, just a few days later, there was a Thanksgiving service. During the time to greet each other, a lady came up to me. Her name is Virginia and is shy and quiet. She wears a blue hooded sweatshirt. She's probably in her mid-fifties. I have only ever said "hello" to her so we are by no means friends. In fact, I would say we are just one small step above "strangers" to each other. But at this Thanksgiving service, Virginia came up to me and handed me a envelope with a card inside. It was a birthday card with a nice message and a $2 bill. I sat there in my pew staring at the $2 bill and just thought, "wow, what a thoughtful thing to do." It meanta lot to me. Here I am, a stranger to Virginia, yet, she saw my birthday in the bulletin and took the time to buy a card, write a message, and put a $2 bill in it. 

I am thankful for Virginia and people like Virginia who go out of their way to make people feel good, even if they are strangers. Virginia didn't say anything to me when she handed me the card, yet I could tell it made her happy and feel good to do so. Virginia reminded me that a "gift" doesn't even have to be something with a high monetary value. It could be a card, a nice message, a handshake, a pat on the back or just a genuine smile. 

I am thankful for the good that is somewhere in everybody. I am thankful for thoughtfulness. 

That $2 bill was worth way more to me than two dollars. In school, the $2 bill could be a smile to your students. A quick note telling them how much you appreciate their effort latley. Or taking the time to listen to a story, no matter how long or "boring" you think it is. Playing basketball with them at recess. It could be making copies for a co-worker or bringing them a coffee if you notice they have been having a particularly stressful few days. It could be bringing a student aside and asking them how things are going. It could be sitting with a "not so popular" student at lunch. It could be emailing a parent, letting them know how much you enjoy having their kid in class or how hard their child has been working lately. It could be a tweet to a co-worker.  

The $2 bill is showing someone you care about them and that you are thinking about them. There's no price tag for that.