An Attitude of Gratitude

Today I shed a few tears as we were leaving Costco.  This wasn't my first time crying while at Costco.  The first time was a few years ago when I was having a bad day (like today), they were selling pictures of Christ, right in the front of the store.  The painting were beautiful.  I could feel that love that He has for us.  One of my very favorite is Jesus with a little girl on his lap.  I saw myself in that little girl and I felt the His arms wrap around me during that not-so-good day. 

Today was because of something else.  While we were eating some lunch an older couple came to sit next to us.  As they got close to the table the sweet woman carefully and sweetly instructed her husband how to sit.  He was confused and asked her several times where and how to do it.  They smiled at us.  She then told him she was going to go grab some hot dogs and would be right back.  He smiled and said, "ok, thank you!"  My mom was with us and she told the sweet woman we would keep an eye on him. 

Then, the sweet, kind, grateful old man looked over (he had poor eye sight as well) at us.  We both smiled at him.  Then he said, "THREE CHEERS FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL SMILE!" And then told us what nice women we were :). 

He was funny too. 

Abuela:  How old are you?
Old Man: I am 62 :)
Abuela: Oh!  Good for you.
Old Man: Hey!  You are a poet.  Did you know it! 

It took us a second to realize what he had said... I thought it was so cute!  Then he told us again, what nice women we were and thanked us for our smiles. 

When his wife came back she told him she was getting his hot dog ready and he said, "Oh, OK. Thank you!  Tell me where it is and I will put it in my pocket."  She patted his hand and told him she would be right back. 

Anyway, EVERY TIME we said anything to him or his wife offered him a bite of his hot dog or something to drink, he would thank her!  If she had to clean his face he apologize, then thanked her. We asked her hold he was and he was actually 80yrs. old.  He has been like this for two and a half years.  She said he has a very sweet disposition. 

I was touched by his attitude of gratitude.  Even for a courteous smile, he was grateful for!  I was also touched by her sweet care with him.  You could tell they love they had and the love they had shared with each other.  It was evident in the way in which they spoke to each other. 

Today I learned that I have to be more grateful for EVERYTHING!  Even my little stinkers, who today I wanted to put to bed at three in the afternoon.

I have thought about this man all day.  He wasn't being ultra gracious because he was in public, but that was just who he was.  I hope that when I am old and loosing it that I can be like him.  Kind. Sweet. Grateful.  

I hope that Dave and I can be like this when we are old.  That we can love each other more than we do now.  What a beautiful example this older couple was to me today.