I recently completed documents to make changes in some of my life insurance.   Insurance companies want to know every tiny detail about your health history, and they also want to know about your family of origin as well.  I submitted the documents. That was followed by a telephone interview.  The lady basically asked me the same questions that I had answered in the submitted paperwork.  It felt redundant to me.  I was mildly irritated. But that soon changed…

 As she read over my history, she said: “your mother died of colon cancer at age 63.”  I said: “That is correct.”   She expressed her condolences.  She was so sincere.  Her comments were brief, but VERY heartfelt.  It touched me. (I lost my mother over 29 years ago.)  And then she read on.  “You lost your father when he was 52 years old”.  I said: “That is correct.” She again expressed condolences, but her level of empathy was even stronger.  I knew there was one more… She said: “you lost your sister in 2017.”  And once again, I said: “That is correct.”  She paused for a moment and expressed her heartfelt compassion for all three losses.

When we finished that portion of the interview, I ceased to be irritated.  I realized I was speaking to a kind and thoughtful woman.  Her compassionate heart surfaced during an insurance application process of all things.  Her tender spirit was obvious. And her sincerity was unquestioned.  I was reminded of several things during that brief interchange:

• You do not always know the details of a person’s story. Therefore, assumptions are generally a bad idea.
• Sincerity goes a long way.  Genuine overtures of kindness are life giving.
• You can touch someone’s life during the most mundane and routine events. (Even insurance interviews)
• Do not underestimate of the impact you can make in a total stranger’s life.