Well, hello from Cincinnati Ohio...We are out here supporting our MonaVie teams. Currently I am reflecting on the day and the trip so far as I relax in our hotel room, while a light snow falls...nice...
I love this business where I can help people see that there are options out there to get their dreams met. It may be a new car, a new house, freedom to stay at home and enjoy life with kids, etc...Although we have experienced many people's wins in their life because of MonaVie, tonight touched me a little deeper.
Tonight after a successful and fun tasting party, we stuck around to answer any questions as we always do. I spoke to a young couple who had some questions. None of the questions were ones that I haven't heard before. We also had some CD's and other tools for the business that we make available for purchase. They asked about a few of them, when the father of the young male walked up. He too asked about a certain double CD set. When it peaked his interest, he asked how much; I replied $15 the same as on the web, except I don't charge for tax and shipping. He looked in his wallet but only had a $10 bill. He asked his son if he had any money to make up the difference, but he did not. So they talked about it and realized that they would just order it online since they didn't have the full $15.
Now i thought about just giving it to him, but figured that he would value it more if he bought it. We have seen this many times over the 3 1/2 years we have been doing this business, where someone has given some tools to a prospect or even a distributor and they don't value it because it was free. I also wasn't a 100% positive that this person was in our team as we allowed some other friends to invite people too.
Well, then we broke off into other conversations with other guests. After a few minutes we met back up again near the dinning room.
I thought more about his money situation, so I told him that I would let him have the CD set for $10. He quickly handed me the $10 and stated thank you in a very genuine tone. I then asked him about his life, etc...
I couldn't have written a sadder story. Layoffs, losing his house and wife, etc...I was stunned. I have heard a lot of stories about people having difficulties as we spread this opportunity of hope, but this time it hit me different. Maybe it was that I didn't picture him to be in distress. Maybe it was that he only had $10 and it didn't occur to me. Not sure...
I immediately pulled back out the $10 and pressed it on his chest. I looked back at him and told him "I don't want this." in a soft voice. He looked at me, like i was rejecting him or taking back my offer to let him buy it for the reduced price. I then said, "I don't want your money, but you still take the CD."
This is where I was touched. This man, who I never met before started to tear and choke up. I immediately put my arm on his shoulder to support his emotions. This man was a man that was hurting very badly. This well-put together man was tearing up over $15. Or was he? I really don't think it was about the money. He had no problem giving me $10, so the $15 probably wasn't the difference. I think it was more about caring. Showing him a little compassion, was probably more valuable to is life at that moment, then the money. It was unexpected by him, and my actions were unexpected, or planned by me...it was a reaction to a fellow man's hurt.
I think many would think that I might be telling this to all that want to read it, to brag or boast about myself and my generosity; I hope not. That would be far from the truth. In reality, I am sharing this because I have been changed. My heart has been touched which reinforces me. It has changed me a little bit more.
There are so many little things we can all do every day to make the world a little better. Here is a man with kids, who is hurting so bad that a simple act of kindness would touch him so deeply, that tears would be released. Wow...
What can you do today to impact someones life a little. One doesn't have to have grand plans to change everyone, but we can all focus on one person, one day at a time.
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." - Proverbs 22:9 NIV
