The Nudge to Say Something

I knew I had to say something. So after shrugging away some resentment, I looked up, put my stubby thumb in the book, and opened my mouth to speak.

Just yesterday, I had an appointment at the orthodontics to get my braces tightened. However, little did I realize that a sweet experience would confront me there. After the appointment concluded, I slouched down on a chair in the lobby, waiting for my mom to pick me up. I hastily pulled out my book and instantly sealed my eyes to its entwining story.

Meanwhile, a man and his granddaughter checked in at the front desk and sat down to wait for their appointment. The girl's name was called soon afterwards, leaving the man in the chair across from me. Without anything to do, he only stared around him at the odd and plain corners of the room, and often glanced at me and my odd teenage decision to read a book instead of check a phone. My head bowed back down to the crisp pages of my book, when just as soon as they caught the first word in my gaze, the man's phone abruptly rang aloud in his pocket. My eyes sneaked back up as he answered, waited, and said, "thank you," with a settle laugh and crossed his legs. The phone call was short, and after he hung up, he stood on his feet, jammed the phone in his pocket, and sat back down again to peer at the blank walls. But only a moment later, his phone rang once again and he answered, waited for the other end to say, "hello," and said "thank you" with another laugh, and a few other comments, once again crossing his legs.

While the phone call went on, I secretly tucked a smile away by bowing my head, knowing there was only one answer for the reason behind those repetitive phone calls, especially when he always mentioned the "thanks". So after tucking away some hesitation and acting on the nudge in my stomach, I looked up, put my stubby thumb in my book, and asked kindly under my mask and restrained teeth, "Is it your birthday?"

That was bold of me and I was surprised I'd done it--talked to a stranger.

"Yes," he smiled, "it is! All my family is calling me right now."

We talked for a little while after that, about his party plans, his family, and I explained how it was my brother's birthday, too. We even talked about the overcast weather of the day and about the Oregon Coast. The conversations were so simple, yet so exciting.

A few minutes later, my mom drove up to the parking lot and I said one last "happy birthday" to the man while pushing the door open. I grinned all the way to the car, knowing I was brave enough to make a stranger's day in one of the most ordinary places. I was grateful for the nudge I received to talk to him, knowing that I may have been one of the few ordinary persons to wish him a happy birthday.

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Michelle Craig once affirmed, "I witness that Jesus Christ loves us and can give us eyes to see—even when it’s hard, even when we’re tired, even when we’re lonely, and even when the outcomes are not as we hoped. Through His grace, He will bless us and increase our capacity. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Christ will enable us to see ourselves and see others as He does. With His help, we can discern what is most needful. We can begin to see the hand of the Lord working in and through the ordinary details of our lives—we will see deeply."

Sometimes it feels awkward to reach out to somebody, but I have realized that it's one of the best ways we can "be an example of the believers" and gather Israel. The Holy Ghost will nudge us to action, while at the same time, help us view others, and ourselves, as God's children. Our light will illuminate to them and they will be blessed because of our desire to serve!

My challenge for you today is to reach out, be brave, and share the light of Christ in the most ordinary instances, even when it feels uncomfortable. Because even in those small, ordinary instances, we not only raise the souls of others, but we raise ourselves.

Makenzie Monson