What Color is your Crayon?


You may have seen the story a while back about a wealthy CEO who left his waitress a $1000 
tip.  The story was checked out and confirmed by several national news agencies.  

It seems that the executive had noticed that the waitress seemed a little blue.  He made a special 
effort to be nice to her and, in the course of the conversation, learned that she was facing a tough 
family situation.  He was touched by her story and, when he checked out, he casually told her to 
add a $1000 tip to his tab.  She didn't quite believe him but prepared the credit card receipt 
anyway.  Guess what...he signed it!

Touched again by the waitress' tears of gratitude, the generous CEO took several credit cards 
from his pocket, fanned them like a hand of playing cards and told the waitress, "pick a card."  
When she chose a Platinum Visa, he continued, "take this card and go give yourself $10,000.  
Life is too short to be feeling blue."

"Life is too short to be feeling blue!"  What an obvious and simple truth...but how often we fail 
to do anything about it.  "Oh," you might be saying, "but I don't have that kind of money."  Most 
people don't and, anyway,  $1000 isn't the only way to buy happiness.  Simple possibilities may 
include...

...listening with a compassionate ear to someone who is hurting.
...saying "thank you" for a thoughtful act.
...sending a note of appreciation to someone for the good work they do.
...writing a handwritten card to a shut-in.
...smiling at the harried check-out clerk. 
...offering a few minutes of help to someone who's overworked.
...standing up for someone under gossip.
...surprising someone with a "just because" bouquet.
...noticing and acknowledging an accomplishment or good deed.
...saying a prayer for someone - and tell them you did.

What color is your crayon?  How can you change the color of someone's day?  Remember, life's 
too short to be blue!