Everything from the Heart

Once in awhile you meet someone who makes an impact on you. It doesn’t have to be through a big event. It may be through something he simply says or does. I recently met such a person.

Getting my nails “done” every two weeks is a luxury I allow myself. The nails have always been weak and a mess without professional care. Now that I’m working out of a home office, I decided to look for a place closer than the one I’d gone to for years, and found a lovely establishment five minutes from home.

It was during my second appointment with Jimmy, the owner, that I learned more about this kind and humble Vietnamese man. Jimmy came to the United States thirty years ago as a teenager. He married and raised his family here. For the past twenty years he’s owned businesses that focused on nails and other spa treatments.

Jimmy took his time, was gentle, and very particular about the end result. I commented that day on the good job he did on my nails.

He thanked me, smiled, and said, “I do everything from the heart. My life. My family. My work. How I treat people. We don’t know if we will be here tomorrow. I don’t want to die with anyone angry or hating me. But I can die happy if there are people around me who love me.”

He does everything from the heart.

While I waited for the nail polish to dry, a young woman about twenty years old came in. With how she and Jimmy greeted each other, I knew she was a regular. Sitting only a few feet away, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. The young woman and her boyfriend had just broken up and she was feeling down. Jimmy listened, gave gentle counsel, and they were soon laughing together.

He does everything from the heart.

I left that day, thinking about what Jimmy expressed. A week later, I’m still thinking about it. I want to have an attitude more like his. No matter what my task—whatever I’m up against—I want to do it from my heart. No matter who I spend time with, or what we’re doing . . .

I want to do my best.

Give my best.

And be known as a woman who does everything from the heart.

Dawn