Dear Readers,

It only takes a minute to go the extra mile. Sometimes not even a minute, just a few seconds.

Of late, I have been struck by several acts of “extra” from others.

About a month ago, my good friends Gab and Julia came to visit and not only did they meet with us while pressed for time, they brought a coloring book for Vivienne, definitely a kind gesture from very kind people, just seeing them would have been enough and that was a lovely “extra mile” thing to do. Thanks Gab and Julia!

This Sunday, while we were at Costco, we had a nice encounter with one of the clerks. Jeremy is actively teaching Vivienne to thank people who serve us, and I love it. As we were leaving the store, he had her hand the checker our receipt, and instead of just checking it and marking it, he took it from her and he drew a pink flower on the back of the receipt. Thanks Jonathan, you helped make her day special.

At work, we get lots of free food and snacks, already a great experience right? Two weeks ago, I mentioned to Kimberly (one of our servers) how much I liked the white cheddar chips and yesterday, as I was sitting at my desk, she brought me a bag to enjoy. Thanks Kimberly!

This Sunday, my husband and I went to a nice restaurant to celebrate our eight year anniversary and I mentioned it to our server, Oscar. He lit up and gave us a free dessert, and offered to take pictures and really made it a boutique experience. Thanks Oscar!

It is our anniversary today, so I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my husband who takes going the “extra mile” to a high art. Thank you, Jeremy!

I am thinking a lot about the extra mile right now, because someone who I love deeply is suffering from cancer and he is fighting it and has a great support system and we all know that isn’t always enough, I am thinking about that because, Joe, is one of my fathers of choice, and this relationship is characterized by multiple instances of “extra mile” walking.

He and his wife were unable to come to our wedding in 2011, so not only did they send us a wonderful gift, they gave us a priceless and unforgettable second honeymoon in Portland, Oregon.

Already special, it was even more meaningful because we were in the process of getting out of debt, and they were so proud of us, they wouldn’t let us pay for a thing.

Thanks Poppa Joe and Momma Mo’, you are so dear to us, and we love you very much.

Their middle name should be “extra mile” because it’s in EVERYTHING they do.

But back to you, my dear reader,

What can YOU do to go that “extra mile” today? Maybe you can notice the front desk at your job, introduce yourself and ask if you can get them anything, since they do that all day, every day for others.

(For me, that led to a lifelong friendship, I love you Dr. Keya Litt)

Maybe, you can notice the barista who makes your coffee and ask how they are doing, since they always ask you, right? Maybe it’s a friend that you can have some groceries delivered to because it’s one thing off their plate. There are opportunities to “go the extra mile” and be a little kinder every day. What can you do today?

It actually doesn’t take money or time, it just takes intention.

Think About It.