The Rambling Page

Make Someone's Day By Rabbi Josh Grodko “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” King Solomon I want you to ask yourself: When was the last time someone made your day? Now let me one-up the question. When was the last time you made someone else’s day? Believe it or not, making someone’s day doesn’t require a grand gesture, an expensive gift, or heroic effort. Sometimes all it takes is one kind, genuine sentence. And I stress genuine, because people can smell a forced compliment from a mile away. Let me share a quick personal experience. The other night, Sarena and I had a parent-teacher conference for our four-year-old son, Noam. Now let’s be honest. How stressful can a parent-teacher conference for a four-year-old really be? Worst case scenario: “Your child struggles to stay inside the lines while cutting circles.” To which the only appropriate response is, “Yes. He is four.” So there we were, sitting in this bright, colorful classroom with Noam’s teacher and her assistant, as they proudly presented his artwork and told us he’s doing exactly what a four-year-old is supposed to be doing. As she spoke, my mind started drifting. This woman has been teaching four-year-olds for almost 30 years. Thirty. Years. In fact, she even taught my wife. Can you imagine waking up every single day and willingly spending your time with a room full of tiny humans who ask “why” every 12 seconds, negotiate like seasoned hostage negotiators, and have absolutely no concept of personal space, volume control, or logic? And let’s be clear, these aren’t even your kids. These are other people’s children. You’re expected to love them, guide them, teach them, and keep them safe, all while staying calm, patient, and upbeat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure it’s incredibly meaningful and rewarding work, but this is not for the faint of heart. All I can say is that I am not emotionally, mentally, or spiritually equipped for this job. As I was deep in this internal thought, something nudged me and said, Snap out of it and say something nice. We were wrapping up the conference when I looked her in the eye and said something along the lines of, “I just want you to know that the work you’re doing here is unbelievable. Hashem should bless you and your family for putting so much heart & soul into your holy work with these precious children.” She looked at me, paused for a moment, and said, “You made my day.” She then opened up how at times the job can be challenging and how much those words meant to her. As we walked down the hallway afterward, I turned to Sarena and said, almost embarrassed, “I can’t believe that was all it took.” But it didn’t stop there. Just as we were about to leave the building, we ran into Noam’s teacher from the previous year. Without missing a beat, Sarena smiled and told her how, even though we’re happy now, Noam still talks about her and misses her, and how wonderful she was with him. Her response? You guessed it. “You made my day.” Two teachers. One hallway. Zero dollars spent. So as we all move through the hustle and bustle of life, I want to encourage you to pause for just a moment. If a kind thought pops into your head about someone, don’t overthink it. Don’t save it for later. Say it. Because sometimes the smallest words quietly carry the greatest power. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Josh