I overheard a Phone Call That gave me a Powerful Reminder

A few days ago, I was sitting outside at a coffee shop getting some work done. It was a lovely morning, sunny but not too hot with the perfect amount of breeze. As I chugged away on my laptop, a man walked by on the phone. 

I was only within earshot of his conversation for a moment, but the words he was saying got me thinking. They were words that were powerful and kind and true. The words he said made me want to chase after the man and tell him thank you. They made me want to stop for a moment and ponder them. The brief snapshot I got to overhear of this man’s conversation challenged me. 

Do you want to know what he was saying? This man traipsed by on his cellphone shouting enthusiastically to whoever was on the other end of the call. He was saying, “GUESS WHO THE MIRACLE IS?!? YOU’RE THE MIRACLE!” 

Now, I don’t know if he had a troubled friend or partner on the other line. I don’t know if that person was having a bad week or a bad year. I don’t know a single thing about who he was talking to. What was clear to me, though, was that this man was offering some enthusiastic encouragement to someone who likely needed it. 

The thing he said made me smile to myself as he walked by, but it also made an even bigger impact. It challenged me to be a better encourager.  

I am a person in constant pursuit of improvement. I am always searching for how to decorate my house better, my next career move, and the next great self-help book. I think this inward pursuit of betterment causes me to hope that others are working to improve, as well. Consequently, it also often makes me blind to all that is great and wonderful about the people in my life. 

We all need to improve and grow and challenge ourselves. Also, we all need encouragement from our friends and family. I don’t want to be the reason that my  loved ones don’t receive encouragement. I want to shout at them for all to hear, “YOU ARE A MIRACLE!” I want to call out the things they do well. I want to tell my friends why I admire them. 

In my pursuit of growth, I need to remember to stop and see the miracles that are already in front of me. I need to notice these miracles. I need to tell my people that they are miracles. 

The man on the phone gave me a gift that day. He reminded me of the value of encouragement. Encouragement is a tool so powerful that as that man walked by I smiled, but I also felt encouraged, too. I remembered that we all have this powerful tool in our belt that allows us to bring joy and life into the lives of those around us. I remembered that I’m not using the tool enough. I was encouraged to start using this tool more. 

Also, I was reminded that I AM A MIRACLE! And so are you, so go live a day and a week and a life knowing that you are just the miracle you need to be.