A single conversation can affect you and change your perspective more than you might think. Taking the time to listen to and talk to someone you don’t know in normal circumstances is something everyone should do from time to time. It can deeply impact both you and the other person.
This conversation between an elderly man and a waitress was shared in the form of text accompanied by a photo on Facebook and then went viral. One could say that a picture is worth a thousand words.
The waitress at a restaurant in the United States saw an elderly man dining alone. What caught the employee’s attention was not the fact that the man was in the restaurant itself, but that he had brought a large framed photo of a woman with him.
He placed the photo in front of him as if the person was going to share his lunch with him.
He had lunch with a photo of his wife.
“I saw this old man eating alone with a photo of a lady in front of him. I thought I might brighten his day by talking to him,” the waitress wrote on Facebook.
What followed is the story of a destiny that touched thousands of people. The waitress sat down and joined the man during lunch.
As I had assumed, it was his wife. But I didn’t expect such an interesting story. They met when they were both 17 years old. They briefly dated, then lost touch when he went to war and his family moved. But he said he thought about her throughout the entire war.
When he returned from the war, he decided to look for her. He searched for her for 10 years and never dated anyone else. People told him he was crazy, and he replied, “I am. Madly in love.”
During a trip to California, he visited a hair salon. He told the hairdresser that he had been searching for a girl for ten years. The hairdresser took out her phone and called her daughter. It was her! She had also been looking for him and had never dated anyone else.
He immediately proposed to her, and they were married for 55 years before she passed away five years ago. He still celebrates her birthday and their wedding anniversary. He carries a photo of her with him everywhere and kisses it goodnight,” wrote the waitress.
The words that brought tears
She concluded her post with some words of wisdom she received from the elderly man and now wants to share.
“I saw this elderly gentleman dining by himself, with an old picture of a lady in front of him. I thought maybe I could…
Posted by HrtWarming on Thursday, October 27, 2022
Among the inspiring words he said are:
“I was a very wealthy man. Not for money, but for love.”
“I never had a single argument with my wife, but we had plenty of debates.”
“People are like candles. At any moment, a breeze can extinguish it, so enjoy the light while you have it.”
“Tell your wife you love her every day. And ask her, ‘Have I told you I love you lately?'”
“Make sure you communicate with the elderly”
After settling in and having lunch with the elderly widower, the woman left with a richer understanding.
“Make sure you talk to the elders. Especially strangers. You may think you’re going to brighten their day, but you might be surprised that they can actually brighten yours.”
This is so thoughtful. Please share this post on Facebook.
