Every morning I take the same route to work, as so many of us do.  And every morning, a young girl of about the age of ten or so, stands at my last stop sign, waiting for her school bus.  I must admit that each morning until recently, I just stopped, made sure she was out of harms’ way, and turned the corner.  Most days our eyes would meet but honestly I made no real effort to smile or really acknowledge her existence other than making sure she was at a safe distance from my moving car.  She, in turn, looked back rather expressionless.

That is…until this past Monday, as I returned to work from a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I, as a result, was feeling a bit warmer and friendlier and found myself giving her a smile and a wave as I stopped and, once again, our eyes met.  To my pleasant surprise, she responded immediately with a shy smile and wave in return.  Each morning since, we’ve done the same.  This made me stop and realize just how much a simple gesture such as a smile, a wave and acknowledgment of someone can mean to that person and how much their positive response can mean to me!

I do pray often that God will shine through me…that others might see His love in me.  I do hope this young girl can see that each morning and maybe, just maybe, God is using me to be somewhat of a positive influence in this young life. 

Debbie Pedigo

December 6, 2013