NICE Testimonial: Nominated Niceness

It is a FRIGID day here in Philadelphia and I hear it's only going to get worse over the next few days. Thank goodness I own a lot of chunky turtleneck sweaters! I hope you all are keeping warm!

Today's testimonial comes from Laurie Ferguson, who emailed me right after the new year. It's really sweet and I hope you enjoy it!

Whenever I shopped at our local K-Mart, I noticed that there was one checker who seemed head and shoulders above the rest, service-wise. I mean, she was the only one with a clue. She could figure things out, make things work, keep the line moving. In addition, she was friendly to everyone -- made people feel like she knew them, that they were friends, not just one in an endless line of customers. I found myself always heading to her line.

Our local newspaper sponsors a contest for Outstanding Service Person of the Year, so I decided to nominate her. It was no big deal, I was glad to do it. However, it made a big impact on her. The newspaper had video clips on its website from the several finalists, and in hers she went on and on about how grateful she was to everyone who voted for her and to me for nominating her. Now, mind you, she had no idea who I was -- I was jut one of the many customers making my way through her check-out line over the years.

She ended up winning the contest and was given an award at a big community recognition event. I was so pleased for her. Some months after the event, I went to the store, got in her line, and when it came my time to pay, I told her who I was. She about cried, she was so happy to meet me! She told me something I'll never forget -- she said she had been having a hard time in her life and that she had asked God to send her some sign that she mattered. Within the week she got news of the nomination. So she told me that she will always be praying for me and wishing me blessings. I about cried, too.

It turns out her kids go to the same school as mine. I see her almost every day, parked out front waiting for her kids while I wait for mine. We always wave and smile. Every day that I see her, I get a huge wave of good feelings, knowing that I did something nice for her, and that she appreciated it. I mean, the payback for that small act has been huge, for me. This Christmas, she approached me and gave me a gift to thank me again for the nomination. I kept telling her that she didn't owe me anything, the nomination was a direct result of how nice she is to everyone. We went back and forth over who was the "nice" one!

The gift was a beautiful necklace. Every time I wear it, I will feel the blessings that come from being nice!

I don't think I've ever nominated anyone for anything, but I feel like I should start! After this experience, I'd love to pay it forward somehow. I think Good Magazine is still accepting nominations for their Good 100. I have a few people in mind for that. And I'll have to keep my eye out for other opportunities to make my appreciation for others known. If you find anything, please let me know! I think it's easy to hear of something like an Outstanding Service Person of the Year award and think, "Oh, so and so would be perfect for that," and just leave it at that. But taking the initiative to recognize someone's hard work is, well, it's nice.

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