Small things and smiles
Yesterday, I attended the funeral for my close friend's father. It was a beautiful tribute to an extraordinary man who had a gift for making people smile -- perhaps better than anyone I've ever known.
My friend gave the closing memorial speech, and beyond how thoughtful and well-written and moving it was, he modeled his father's spirit so well.
A few minutes into the speech, he used the phrase home in, an eggcorn that 99% of people get wrong. Most people these days say hone in. As he read this line, he shot me the subtlest glance. It was a nod to the fact that years ago I had corrected his use of hone in, and that this had stuck with him to this day. I doubt anyone else in the room noticed, but it sure made me smile.
Such a silly grammar thing, yet it served as a touching reminder that there in that room were the people in his world, and his life, who meant the most. That just by virtue of showing up and being a friend, we can all make an impact. And that it's sometimes the tiniest moments that create the deepest connections between people. It was a reminder too -- and an ode to his father -- that there’s never a bad time to make someone smile.