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Everyone says the flowers smell good but I don’t smell anything; nothing. Do you smell them?” she asks, in her heavily accented voice. After walking around a busy street looking to do a 1)random act of kindness, I had stumbled into this flower shop.
A little startled by the flower lady’s question, I tell her that the flowers smell amazing and perhaps she should take a break once in a while so she can enjoy them too. Before I realize, I find myself in the midst of a conversation about her life—she got laid off from United Airlines a few years back, took the unemployment money and traveled the world for a year. Then, she ran out of money and came back to work at the flower shop.
We talk about all sorts of things as I try to decide on the flowers. I pick up and smell some Gerbera daisies. I’m amazed at how beautiful and perfect they are.
I take them over to the register and chat some more. The lively Chinese lady carefully wraps them up in a sheet of clear plastic with a pink satin ribbon bow around it. I can’t wait to pass these on. I’m all set to leave when I realize that she’s not quite finished with our conversation yet.
She jokes about how her daughter helps at 2)soup kitchens and she’s been a volunteer for the zoo for two years. “But if I ask her to sweep the floor, she’s too tired,” she complains. I’m amazed when she mentions that her daughter is only sixteen. “She’s wiser than most of us,” the lady says. I proclaim, “Your daughter will never be lonely or unhappy in her life because she’s figured out how to give.” I’m starting to get the feeling that she’s secretly proud of her. She goes on, “I don’t really know what my purpose in life is, I just do this work for a living.” I quickly 3)chime in “I don’t know what my purpose is either but there are some things that I know that are more‘right’ than others. And one of those things for me is service. It doesn’t have to be big things. In fact, I think they’re usually small things; like being kind to others around you for example.” And then suddenly, she asks, “What do you do?” I tell her that I was also laid off from work too and took the unemployment money. And now I’m a volunteer with a non-profit organization and do other “random” stuff. She’s amused. I cheerfully take out the Smile card from my pocket and tell her about the pay-it-forward concept. “It’s really about the small things like these flowers for example—I plan on giving them to a random person who looks like they could use it. Perhaps an old couple sitting on a bench somewhere,” I smile realizing I have a lot of work to do. I’m almost out the door when she calls me back; pulls out a bunch of fresh flowers that look like lilies and asks,“Can you give these to someone nice also?”
Wow! I can’t believe she wants to be a part of this. As she wraps them beautifully into three separate 4)bouquets, I am overjoyed.
I walk back onto the street armed with four beautiful bouquets. I keep walking until I see a middle-aged couple sitting at the bus station. The big guy in the leather jacket is on the cell phone with his arm around his wife or maybe girlfriend, with 5)spiky orange hair. Instantly, I know she’s the first candidate. I walk up to her and hand her the gerberas, “You look like you would appreciate these flowers,” I smile. The guy immediately gets off the phone, “God bless you!” The lady is all smiles.
Less than 100 feet away I spot a small, old lady sitting quietly on the passenger-side of an 6)RV/Trailer by the gas station. She smiles at me and I’m taken back a bit and look down. She has one of the most 7)genuine smiles I have ever seen; it seems to instantly light up the entire street. When I reach the RV, I signal her to open the window. She eagerly opens it, “Can I give you some flowers?” I smile. As her small frail hands gently take the bouquet from mine, her smile widens even more and now I’m close enough to see the twinkle in her eyes.
Feeling like Santa Claus, I march onwards. I see this short grey-haired lady from the back, walking with her head half-way down; after passing her once, I decide that she is “it” and take a u-turn to walk back two blocks. “These are for you,” I hold them out with both hands and a huge smile. “They’re beauty-ful. Wow!”Her face lights up. I walk off quickly in my usual style. I hear a surprised “Thank You” in the background.
I can’t believe I’m already down to the last one. I spot a young lady. Judging from her backpack and clothing she’s probably in her early twenties, and is averagelooking. She looks like a typical college kid lost in her thoughts. There’s something about her that reminds me how hard it is sometimes to be that age. Just as I pass her, I decide to hand over the lilies to her; her face just blossoms. She turns from average looking to amazing; it feels just right.
Walking back, I feel so full; so full of love. Astonished that such small acts can bring so much joy to someone’s life; grateful that all it takes is the right 8)intentions and the whole universe by your side; hopeful that someone at a random flower shop can open up her heart to give beautifully wrapped flowers, free of charge, for three random people she’ll never meet.
人人都说这些花香气扑鼻，但我啥也没有闻到，一点也没。你闻得到吗？”她问道，带着浓浓的口音。我沿着一条繁忙的大街转悠，想着去随心做件善事，然后无意中走进了这家花店。
听到花店女士的问题，我心中稍稍一惊；我跟她说，这些花儿闻起来香极了，或许她应该偶尔停下来，那样她就也可以感受它们的芬芳了。很快，我就与她聊起了一些关于她的事情——几年前，她从联合航空公司下岗后，便拿着失业津贴作了一年环球旅行。后来，她的钱花光了，就回国找了份在花店的工作。
在我挑选花的时候，我们聊了各种各样的事。我拿起一些非洲菊闻了闻。多么漂亮完美的花朵啊，令人为之赞叹。
我拿着这些花走到收银台，又聊了一会儿。这位可爱的华人女士小心翼翼地用一张透明的塑料纸把花包好，然后用一根粉红色的缎带扎住。我恨不得这就将它们送出去。我正准备离开的时候，发现花店女士还没聊完我们的话题呢。
她打趣地说，她女儿在慈善食堂当助手，而且她还在动物园当了两年志愿者。她抱怨道：“但要是我让她打扫一下地板，她就累得做不来了。”当她提到她女儿只有16岁时，我吃了一惊。“她比我们大多数人都聪明，”那位女士说道。我断言道：“你女儿的人生路上绝不会感到孤单和悲伤，因为她懂得施与。”我开始感受到她暗暗为自己的女儿自豪。她继续道：“我对自己的人生目标不太清楚，我做这份工作只为谋生。”我急忙附和道：“我也不清楚自己的人生目标，但我知道有些事情比其他事情要来得‘正确’。对我而言，其中一样这种事情是服务他人。那不一定得是惊天动地的事。事实上，我认为这些事应该是细微的事情；打比方说，对你身边的人表示友好。”接着，她突然问我：“你是干什么工作的呢？”我跟她说我也下岗了，也拿着失业津贴。现在我是一个非盈利组织的志愿者，并且做着其他一些“闲”事。她被逗乐了。我欢天喜地地从口袋里掏出笑脸卡，并且跟她说起关于“将爱传递”的理念。“这真的只是些细微的事情，例如这些花——我打算将它们随意送给任何一个看上去会好好利用它们的人。有可能是坐在某个地方的长椅上的老夫妻吧。”我笑了笑，意识到自己有不少事要做。
在我就要走出门口的时候，她将我喊了回去；她抽出一束像是百合的鲜花，问道：“你能将这些花也送给某个不错的人吗？”
哇！我真不敢相信她也想参与这种活动。她将这些花分成三束，然后包得漂漂亮亮的，我欣喜若狂。
我怀抱四束漂亮的鲜花回到街上。我一直往前走，直到眼前出现一对中年夫妇坐在汽车站旁。那个穿着皮衣的“大块头”正用手机打着电话，臂里挽着他的妻子或是女友，顶着一个橙色的“刺猬头”。我立刻意识到她会是第一个“幸运儿”。我径直走向她，把非洲菊递给她。“你的样子看上去让人觉得你会珍惜这些花。”我笑着说。那男子立刻中断电话，说道：“上帝保佑你！”那女子露出满脸笑容。
在不到一百尺的地方，我看到一个瘦小的老妪安静地坐在加油站旁的一辆旅行拖车的乘客座上。她向我微笑，我有点诧异，一时不敢直视。她拥有我见过的最诚挚的笑容；这笑容似乎一下子就燃亮了整条街道。当我走到拖车旁边，我示意她打开窗户。她急忙打开窗。“我能送些花给您吗？”我笑着说。她孱弱的手轻轻接过我的花，脸上的笑容更加灿烂了，走近了，我还看到她眼中闪耀的星点光芒。
我感觉自己如同圣诞老人一般，继续向前走着。我看到一个留着一头灰色短发的女子的背影，半低着头往前走。我曾从她身旁走过，后来我觉得她应该是“那一位”，于是我转身往回走了两个街区。“这些花是给你的。”我把花用双手递给她，并向她投以一个大大的笑容。“这花真漂亮。哇！”她的脸容光焕发。我像往常一样迅速走开了。我听到背后传来一声带着惊讶的“谢谢”。
真不敢相信我已经到了寻找最后一个“幸运儿”的时候了。我看到一个年轻女子。从她的背包和衣着来看，她大概二十出头，相貌平平。她看起来像个典型的大学生，埋在自己的思绪当中。她的一些特质让我记起有时候那个年龄是多么的苦恼。就在我从她身边走过的时候，我决定把那些百合花送给她；她的脸立时如花绽放。她从相貌平平变得赏心悦目了——那感觉就对了。
往回走的时候，我感到一心的满足，爱意满满。我很惊讶，这些小小举动便能为一些人的生活带来那么多的欢乐；我很感激，因为快乐只需正面的动机，整个世界便为之感染；我满怀希望，因为即使是随便一家花店的店员也能打开心扉，将包得漂漂亮亮的花束分文不取地送给任意三个她素未谋面的人。
A little startled by the flower lady’s question, I tell her that the flowers smell amazing and perhaps she should take a break once in a while so she can enjoy them too. Before I realize, I find myself in the midst of a conversation about her life—she got laid off from United Airlines a few years back, took the unemployment money and traveled the world for a year. Then, she ran out of money and came back to work at the flower shop.
We talk about all sorts of things as I try to decide on the flowers. I pick up and smell some Gerbera daisies. I’m amazed at how beautiful and perfect they are.
I take them over to the register and chat some more. The lively Chinese lady carefully wraps them up in a sheet of clear plastic with a pink satin ribbon bow around it. I can’t wait to pass these on. I’m all set to leave when I realize that she’s not quite finished with our conversation yet.
She jokes about how her daughter helps at 2)soup kitchens and she’s been a volunteer for the zoo for two years. “But if I ask her to sweep the floor, she’s too tired,” she complains. I’m amazed when she mentions that her daughter is only sixteen. “She’s wiser than most of us,” the lady says. I proclaim, “Your daughter will never be lonely or unhappy in her life because she’s figured out how to give.” I’m starting to get the feeling that she’s secretly proud of her. She goes on, “I don’t really know what my purpose in life is, I just do this work for a living.” I quickly 3)chime in “I don’t know what my purpose is either but there are some things that I know that are more‘right’ than others. And one of those things for me is service. It doesn’t have to be big things. In fact, I think they’re usually small things; like being kind to others around you for example.” And then suddenly, she asks, “What do you do?” I tell her that I was also laid off from work too and took the unemployment money. And now I’m a volunteer with a non-profit organization and do other “random” stuff. She’s amused. I cheerfully take out the Smile card from my pocket and tell her about the pay-it-forward concept. “It’s really about the small things like these flowers for example—I plan on giving them to a random person who looks like they could use it. Perhaps an old couple sitting on a bench somewhere,” I smile realizing I have a lot of work to do. I’m almost out the door when she calls me back; pulls out a bunch of fresh flowers that look like lilies and asks,“Can you give these to someone nice also?”
Wow! I can’t believe she wants to be a part of this. As she wraps them beautifully into three separate 4)bouquets, I am overjoyed.
I walk back onto the street armed with four beautiful bouquets. I keep walking until I see a middle-aged couple sitting at the bus station. The big guy in the leather jacket is on the cell phone with his arm around his wife or maybe girlfriend, with 5)spiky orange hair. Instantly, I know she’s the first candidate. I walk up to her and hand her the gerberas, “You look like you would appreciate these flowers,” I smile. The guy immediately gets off the phone, “God bless you!” The lady is all smiles.
Less than 100 feet away I spot a small, old lady sitting quietly on the passenger-side of an 6)RV/Trailer by the gas station. She smiles at me and I’m taken back a bit and look down. She has one of the most 7)genuine smiles I have ever seen; it seems to instantly light up the entire street. When I reach the RV, I signal her to open the window. She eagerly opens it, “Can I give you some flowers?” I smile. As her small frail hands gently take the bouquet from mine, her smile widens even more and now I’m close enough to see the twinkle in her eyes.
Feeling like Santa Claus, I march onwards. I see this short grey-haired lady from the back, walking with her head half-way down; after passing her once, I decide that she is “it” and take a u-turn to walk back two blocks. “These are for you,” I hold them out with both hands and a huge smile. “They’re beauty-ful. Wow!”Her face lights up. I walk off quickly in my usual style. I hear a surprised “Thank You” in the background.
I can’t believe I’m already down to the last one. I spot a young lady. Judging from her backpack and clothing she’s probably in her early twenties, and is averagelooking. She looks like a typical college kid lost in her thoughts. There’s something about her that reminds me how hard it is sometimes to be that age. Just as I pass her, I decide to hand over the lilies to her; her face just blossoms. She turns from average looking to amazing; it feels just right.
Walking back, I feel so full; so full of love. Astonished that such small acts can bring so much joy to someone’s life; grateful that all it takes is the right 8)intentions and the whole universe by your side; hopeful that someone at a random flower shop can open up her heart to give beautifully wrapped flowers, free of charge, for three random people she’ll never meet.
人人都说这些花香气扑鼻，但我啥也没有闻到，一点也没。你闻得到吗？”她问道，带着浓浓的口音。我沿着一条繁忙的大街转悠，想着去随心做件善事，然后无意中走进了这家花店。
听到花店女士的问题，我心中稍稍一惊；我跟她说，这些花儿闻起来香极了，或许她应该偶尔停下来，那样她就也可以感受它们的芬芳了。很快，我就与她聊起了一些关于她的事情——几年前，她从联合航空公司下岗后，便拿着失业津贴作了一年环球旅行。后来，她的钱花光了，就回国找了份在花店的工作。
在我挑选花的时候，我们聊了各种各样的事。我拿起一些非洲菊闻了闻。多么漂亮完美的花朵啊，令人为之赞叹。
我拿着这些花走到收银台，又聊了一会儿。这位可爱的华人女士小心翼翼地用一张透明的塑料纸把花包好，然后用一根粉红色的缎带扎住。我恨不得这就将它们送出去。我正准备离开的时候，发现花店女士还没聊完我们的话题呢。
她打趣地说，她女儿在慈善食堂当助手，而且她还在动物园当了两年志愿者。她抱怨道：“但要是我让她打扫一下地板，她就累得做不来了。”当她提到她女儿只有16岁时，我吃了一惊。“她比我们大多数人都聪明，”那位女士说道。我断言道：“你女儿的人生路上绝不会感到孤单和悲伤，因为她懂得施与。”我开始感受到她暗暗为自己的女儿自豪。她继续道：“我对自己的人生目标不太清楚，我做这份工作只为谋生。”我急忙附和道：“我也不清楚自己的人生目标，但我知道有些事情比其他事情要来得‘正确’。对我而言，其中一样这种事情是服务他人。那不一定得是惊天动地的事。事实上，我认为这些事应该是细微的事情；打比方说，对你身边的人表示友好。”接着，她突然问我：“你是干什么工作的呢？”我跟她说我也下岗了，也拿着失业津贴。现在我是一个非盈利组织的志愿者，并且做着其他一些“闲”事。她被逗乐了。我欢天喜地地从口袋里掏出笑脸卡，并且跟她说起关于“将爱传递”的理念。“这真的只是些细微的事情，例如这些花——我打算将它们随意送给任何一个看上去会好好利用它们的人。有可能是坐在某个地方的长椅上的老夫妻吧。”我笑了笑，意识到自己有不少事要做。
在我就要走出门口的时候，她将我喊了回去；她抽出一束像是百合的鲜花，问道：“你能将这些花也送给某个不错的人吗？”
哇！我真不敢相信她也想参与这种活动。她将这些花分成三束，然后包得漂漂亮亮的，我欣喜若狂。
我怀抱四束漂亮的鲜花回到街上。我一直往前走，直到眼前出现一对中年夫妇坐在汽车站旁。那个穿着皮衣的“大块头”正用手机打着电话，臂里挽着他的妻子或是女友，顶着一个橙色的“刺猬头”。我立刻意识到她会是第一个“幸运儿”。我径直走向她，把非洲菊递给她。“你的样子看上去让人觉得你会珍惜这些花。”我笑着说。那男子立刻中断电话，说道：“上帝保佑你！”那女子露出满脸笑容。
在不到一百尺的地方，我看到一个瘦小的老妪安静地坐在加油站旁的一辆旅行拖车的乘客座上。她向我微笑，我有点诧异，一时不敢直视。她拥有我见过的最诚挚的笑容；这笑容似乎一下子就燃亮了整条街道。当我走到拖车旁边，我示意她打开窗户。她急忙打开窗。“我能送些花给您吗？”我笑着说。她孱弱的手轻轻接过我的花，脸上的笑容更加灿烂了，走近了，我还看到她眼中闪耀的星点光芒。
我感觉自己如同圣诞老人一般，继续向前走着。我看到一个留着一头灰色短发的女子的背影，半低着头往前走。我曾从她身旁走过，后来我觉得她应该是“那一位”，于是我转身往回走了两个街区。“这些花是给你的。”我把花用双手递给她，并向她投以一个大大的笑容。“这花真漂亮。哇！”她的脸容光焕发。我像往常一样迅速走开了。我听到背后传来一声带着惊讶的“谢谢”。
真不敢相信我已经到了寻找最后一个“幸运儿”的时候了。我看到一个年轻女子。从她的背包和衣着来看，她大概二十出头，相貌平平。她看起来像个典型的大学生，埋在自己的思绪当中。她的一些特质让我记起有时候那个年龄是多么的苦恼。就在我从她身边走过的时候，我决定把那些百合花送给她；她的脸立时如花绽放。她从相貌平平变得赏心悦目了——那感觉就对了。
往回走的时候，我感到一心的满足，爱意满满。我很惊讶，这些小小举动便能为一些人的生活带来那么多的欢乐；我很感激，因为快乐只需正面的动机，整个世界便为之感染；我满怀希望，因为即使是随便一家花店的店员也能打开心扉，将包得漂漂亮亮的花束分文不取地送给任意三个她素未谋面的人。