“Your latte has a little magic in it today. But don't tell anyone!”
I smiled. Automatically. But I didn't leave. I asked:
“Do you say that a lot?”
He shrugged:
“Sometimes. People like it. And I like it when they smile.”
I left, but the whole way home was different. Lighter. Brighter. One simple moment changed my whole morning. Why do we underestimate the power of kind words?
I think we've become afraid of being open. We're afraid of seeming strange, pushy, “too much.” But sometimes, just saying “You look beautiful today” is enough to make someone's day special.
I decided to give it a try. I told the woman in the elevator that she had a beautiful bag. I wished the delivery man a good evening. And, yes, I went back to that coffee shop. There was no magic in the coffee, but it stayed inside me.