The second I flipped over the handlebars of my mountain bike and found myself lying on my back in the woods of Virginia, I decided trail riding was not for me. My new Trek bike was only used three times and would sit in the corner of my house in Washington DC and then move to my mother’s garage when I lived in New York and then get moved to my storage unit once I moved to Atlanta. It would sit there for years with two flat tires.
And then I met Javier.
I had seen him 100 times. Every morning working at my local coffee shop…every morning with a smile on his face. He was kind, friendly, and took care of each and every order. It felt special and unlike Starbucks. When the coffee shop closed, he moved to a local restaurant and was, once again, a model employee. I continued to visit the establishment on occasion to get lunch and coffee. Really it was because Javier made everyone around him feel welcome. On one such visit, he told me his bike was stolen and he was at a loss with how he would get a new one so he could get to work.
And then I realized why I had met Javier.
I told him about the mountain bike collecting dust in my storage unit. It isn’t anyone’s first choice for biking on the streets of Atlanta, but I was willing to give it to him at no charge. And, free is great. He only needed to add air to the tires which were in great condition. He happily accepted the gift.
And, I didn’t think about it for years. The location he was working at closed during the pandemic. He is now at the main location and one of my friends was there this week. She ran into him and he told her he is still using the bike every day to get to work. I don’t even remember how long ago I gave it to him…at least 2007! He has been riding a bike I purchased in 1996 to a job every day for at least 15 years.
She reminded me how one simple act can have such a meaningful impact on one person. She even framed it for me – giving him that bike gave him transportation and changed his life.
It reminded me how everything we do impacts people in some form or fashion – either positively or negatively. One good deed can help someone get to work and therefore help them take care of their family. One angry interaction can cause that person to yell at their child when they get home that evening. Actions have consequences. We are human and can’t be perfect every day, but that shouldn’t prevent us from trying or worse – doing nothing because we don’t think it is meaningful enough.
Life is a series of tiny actions that can have a domino effect on the world. What are you going to do today?