We were talking and saying good bye.
In the midst of saying goodbye he asked that I do something for him, so I left to run a short errand for him. When I returned, we finished our goodbyes. I was across the room and doing a little hand wave as I was leaving.
He stuck his hand out to me. In a handshake gesture. I knew what was going to happen. He wasn’t the first to try and wrangle a hug out of my not comfortable with hugging people I barely know existence.
But I went. I grabbed his hand. It was surprisingly soft and warm. He pulled me in to hug and I hugged him. Actually, I just kind of let him hug me. Though it was difficult with him in his chair and me standing above him.
I stepped back and he asked me if I had a husband. I smiled and said yes. He immediately apologized and said he didn’t ask for inappropriate reasons. I smiled again, and said I knew that. He wanted to know if my husband was good to me. I told him yes. He asked if I was sure. I told him I was sure. He is a good man, and very kind, and a better person than I am. He nodded his head approvingly as I spoke to him.
He grabbed my hand and said “no one’s better than you are”.
I didn’t argue with him. Because though I know there are many people better than I am, at that moment, I was one of the best to him.
I told him he made me very happy. And he gave me a high five. Actually, about a high one hundred and fifteen. Because he didn’t want to stop giving me high fives.
It was a brief interaction. A pleasant one. A happy one. A positive one. That left us both smiling as I walked out the door.
And that was it.
And, worth a moment of reflection.
Our lives are built on these moments.
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