Note: this is an incredibly old post. I’ve updated the years in the post to reflect from current day to when this event actually happened. In fact, it was just after my 19th birthday when I also received my driver’s license. However, with that said, I wanted to share this story because it feels relevant for the very tumultuous times we’re going through in the world today. So with that said, let’s dive into today’s blog post!
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Hi everyone, it’s me, Leon R.M. Auguste, coming to you with another post!
It was about 8 years ago when I was almost 19 years old, when I had received my driver’s license. It may seem like any other mundane task or chore. But for me, it was something more than just that. It was a small moment that changed how I viewed my own life in the grand scheme of things.
This is a blog post on remembering a stranger’s kind words.
I remember I had just passed the written portion of the driver’s test two weeks previous. It had been a nice breezy day when I had initially taken my 2nd attempt to pass the driving part of my DMV test. I was a bit nervous because the first time I had tried to pass the driving portion of the DMV test, I had almost hit a lady crossing the street.
Although to be fair, she crossed the road, after the light had turned red. I don’t know about you, but you kind of assume someone would wait for the next light instead of just bolting right across the street. The most frustrating part was that I was just about to turn right into the street where the end of the test was.
But that’s beside the point.
I remember taking the driving test that morning, and surprisingly, nothing too out of the ordinary happened. Of course, no driving test is perfect, but it was pretty damn good!
As I finished, and my driving tester told me I passed, I remember thinking how excited I was to start driving. To have a little more freedom to move around as I saw fit (of course, while also following the common street laws).
So as I made my way towards the front desk area to finalize my test results, I remember I had to wait in a long, long, long line (it was about an hour-and-a-half long wait). But as I finally reached one of the windows with a lady ready to help me, I still remember the look in her eye as she looked up at me with the usual passing glance. But as we started to finalize my papers, I still remember the last thing she told me.
She looked straight up at me now and told me that as long as I believed in myself, she knew I would make some kind of tangible difference in the world.
Even to this day, I honestly have no idea what prompted this lovely lady to tell me this. She had undoubtedly seen countless other people that day, and I’m sure she hated her job. So for her to share a really genuine and honest moment with me, I felt incredibly humbled by such a gesture.
There are days when I think back to what she told me that day, and I just feel inspired once again. A feeling of unyielding strength just comes over me. Even when life seems dull or uneventful, I always remember to make life exciting in some small way. No matter how you look at it, our lives can never be wholly mastered in society. We must remember that we are all a part of a much larger thing than us.
We are a part of society, and we must remember to help one another. No matter your political viewpoints, we are all in the same metaphorical boat. So don’t feel disenchanted with life when you find yourself in a slump. Instead, realize that you are important to society. You can help whether you volunteer at a homeless shelter or have friends and family members who need you.
Some things don’t really make sense in our society, and sometimes it just makes me laugh. Because at the end of the day, that’s all we can do when we find ourselves bewildered or amused by life’s many quarrels and strange oddities.
Anyways, I think it’s time I end this post before things get too dark in tone. Just remember that we’re all a family in some way, whether you like it or not. Make the best of your ever-shifting situation, and don’t lose faith in what you’re capable of. After everything in your life is said and done, you’ll be left with many thoughts and memories from everything you did in your life. Make the best of it.
Forever in Your Debt,
Leon R.M. Auguste
Leon R.M. Auguste 