As I stated above, our local courier driver is fantastic. He's made the effort to learn everybody's names. And considering how big the suburb is....that's a pretty good effort. You hear the courier van come down the drive. You open your door. He appears, holding a parcel (most likely something Doctor Who-ey that you've ordered), he greets you with your name. Even if the parcel isn't for you, he'll remember your name. That's pretty darn cool. And if he sees you somewhere else, like if you're walking past his van as he's loading it with some more post, or if he comes into your work to drop off something, he'll still greet you with your name. Brilliant!
Another awesome fellow plays for my favourite rugby league team. It's our premiership winning prop, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. A few years ago I went to watch a preseason game. Due to injury, he wasn't playing but was still there anyway. Long after the game had finished he was still busy posing for photos and signing autographs. Eventually after everyone else had got a photo/autograph I went up and got a photo too. Wearing a Roosters shirt he could tell I was a fan rather than just a local who had come to watch a game. So he inquired whether or not I had got photos with the other players yet. I hadn't. Would I like to? Oh yes please. Especially the fullback who's ultra-incredible. So off he leads me to find them. Unfortunately they had already left so I had to wait until another time to get those photos. Still, it was very kind of him to try and get them for me.
And cricket. Many many years ago when I was just a wee kid, I had won a competition and got to hang out with our national team during an ODI against South Africa. It was a great match and the players were all cheerful and friendly. And I got them to sign one of those mini-bats. Then, I decided to get signatures from the Proteas too. I stood near their dressing room, unsure if I was allowed to knock. New Zealand allrounder Chris Harris saw this, realised what I was trying to achieve so he came over, got the bat, went in and got the South Africans to sign it. So nice of him, and now that bat is one of my favourite possessions.
Other awesome people were my old colleagues in China. I wasn't any good at teaching, so I was relieved of my duties at that school until an alternative school was found. And my colleagues were really great. Ones who were at other branches, or ones at the same one but I hadn't had much chance to talk to...they were all great, showed concern and would ask for any updates. One delightful lady even tried to find some other work for me, and another guy got me a couple of lessons at another school that he did a bit of teaching for.
The impact that people like these have are tremendous. They remind me of how good life is. Those small acts of kindness go a lonThank you!