By Joe Mazzella
When I was a boy growing up in the 1970’s and 1980’s, it was common to see hitchhikers walking along the side of the road as you drove along. A lot of people back then couldn’t afford cars so they either walked or hitched a ride when they had to go into town. As I got older, though, I noticed them less and less. That is until recently. It seems the difficulties of life these days are leaving a lot more people with only their legs for transportation.
Well the other day I was driving home after picking up a few things from the store. I was in a sour state of mind. I had been watching too much news and listening to too little music. I had been worrying too much and not praying enough. I was starting to wonder if there was anything I could do to make a difference in this crazy world, if anything I did even mattered.
It was then that I saw her, a middle aged woman loaded down with shopping bags on the side of the road, hoping to hitch a ride. I pulled over to the side of the road and let her in. She was traveling a bit out of my way but I decided to give her a ride all the way home. She told me how hard things had been for her lately and that she’d had to sell her car. Then when I pulled into her driveway, she smiled and thanked me for the ride. I drove away smiling too and as I did I heard God’s soft, gentle voice speaking into the depths of my heart. “Everything you do in this life makes a difference my child. Everything you do matters. You matter!” I thanked God for giving me a chance to do an act of kindness and make a difference in this world. I thanked Him for helping me to share His Love. And I thanked Him for sweetening my sour state of mind and for returning joy to my soul again.
Always remember. You matter. You are Loved. You are precious in God’s eyes. And everything you do in this life makes a difference. So always live your life with Love.
