Though cold, it was a beautiful day full of sunshine, and a few other people had the same idea. So we went inside the car wash "reception area" to sit and wait while our car went through the ringer. Apparantly it is a very fancy car wash.
I took baby out of her car seat since she was awake and we sat making faces at each other and examining our environment.
Then an adorable old man walked in. Cane and all. Serious-faced. I watched baby turn her head to see the movement. And her face immediately lit up. She smiled her biggest smile of the day at this little old man she has never seen before.
That's when I turned my head. I saw the man stop in his tracks. His face went from stern to an even wider-than baby's grin. He commented on how lovely she was and how her smile just made his day. It was so pure and genuine and earnest, how he said it. He also mentioned that at only 10am he was already not having the greatest of days. He then sat an adjacent table and made little faces at her and then made pleasantries with the staff about his car.
And each of our respective days went on. I left to pick up a can of paint and then my son. Went home, made lunch, prepared everyone for nap time. All vey ordinary for us.
Obviously babies are cute and people love them. But that interaction has stayed with me today. Something tore at my gut as I thought about how this little 4 month old had the ability to change the trajectory of someone else's day.
How at such a young age, her life and existence serves a purpose. To people beyond myself and her dad and her brother. And without even trying.
If her, in her very limited capacities, than how much more the rest of us. Each of us. Regardless of our abilities/capacities.
Perhaps I am thinking about and looking into this far too much.
And maybe not.
Maybe I myself, should smile such a genuine smile a little more.
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