No Cost Investment

As I left my neighborhood on my first morning commuting in to work on my motorcycle from our new house, I passed a young, black woman at her crossing-guard post in the school zone, waiting for the kids to show up. My flip-up helmet was still in the "up" position, thus revealing my face. I smiled and gave her a little wave as I passed by. She watched me with a rather blank look on her face. The second morning I did the same thing and got a little smile and a little wave back. Every day since, I have gotten a beaming smile and a confident wave in response to my passing morning greeting.

A wave and a smile cost nothing. No money. No extra time. Virtually no energy. But they are an investment, nonetheless. I really have no idea what the value of the investment is, but I'm confident that there is real value there. I have no idea what that girl's life is like, but I would imagine that it has it's share of difficulties and challenges. To see that face light up every morning certainly is a wonderful payback to me. Who knows what she is thinking about the friendly guy on the red Honda, but I like to think that for a moment every morning she feels a little bit more valued. And to me, that's a high quality investment.