A smile

Yesterday at work

I met a remarkable woman. She was in her seventies, not in the best of health and when I first saw her she was drenched with rain.

We got chatting and she told me she had lost her first husband, a son had committed suicide and her other son in Auckland did not keep in contact.

She went on to say she had remarried, had worked for banks, accountants and more, travelled extensively and had accumulated some wealth.

But she was bored, her bucket was empty, having done everything on her list.

She had no one to leave her wealth to other than one son, who was just waiting for her to pass on so he could use the money to buy more rental properties. She had given most of her jewellery away to her home help and gifted funds to many charities, some of whom had used it for things other than she intended.

She told me all of this while struggling for breath and wondering if she would need to go to hospital again. She has Addison’s Disease, a condition she explained where her body does not make adrenaline.

But the thing that struck me the most through all of this was her Positiveness. Her joy for life shone through. She is grateful for everything she has and has done and achieved. She would rather work for things than have them handed to her. And every night before going to sleep she thinks about the positives of the day and gives thanks. Meeting me was her positive for that day, so she said.

She now lives day by day and on her bad days, minute by minute. Yet still she looks for the good in life.

And when discussing the greatest gift she has given her answer was simple. A smile. Whether the recipient chooses to accept it or not is up to them but it can make such a difference to someone’s life.

Mrs M, you inspire me.