The Santa at the train station effect

Moments in life are critical and seldom appreciated at the time.

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A couple of months ago I was riding on the train into the city, not having a particularly good day and just not in a particularly good mood, nothing special just one of those days. It was December so Christmas was right around the corner. Two stops from the city and my mood suddenly changed, not just from being shitty to being pretty okay. But my mood shifted dramatically to the positive end of the spectrum

But why? This is a post about moments, and how even the most seemingly insignificant moments can drastically alter someone day, week, year, even life. This one isn’t a life changing moment, but it did really get me thinking.

Here is the moment I experienced. As we made the stop, I looked out the window and here is what I saw..

.(Scroll down if you haven't already to see what I saw).

My mood immediately shifted and I was suddenly in a great mood. But why? Why did a train station attendant (I think that’s what they’re called) who decided to wear a Santa hat who does look somewhat similar to Santa Claus make such an impression on my day? Sure, it was new, it was unexpected and it was funny but what I think made the biggest impact on me was the this thought... This man... or rather this god amongst men! got up in the morning and made a conscious decision to wear a Santa hat to work and make people happy. He didn’t have to do this, no one was expecting it and no one would have noticed if he didn’t wear the hat. But by the simple act of putting the hat on he has made me and I’m sure hundreds of other commuters that day a bit happier.

The Point:

Moments are important. Keep an eye out for them, they may mean the difference between a good day and a bad day. They have the power to take your mind out of a rut and put it into a place far more positive. But don’t just take advantage of these moments, create your own. What can you do to put a smile on someone’s face like this Santa hat wearing station attendant hero? Don’t take these small gestures for granted. It may seem small to you but to the person on the train, or in the office, or waiting in line at the cafe or anywhere else in life it could make a huge difference.