Virtual hug

   I had a crappy day at work. Actually, who am I kidding? I had a really shitty day at work. One of those days that just has your stomach in knots and racked with nausea. I came home feeling not very motivated and ready to call it a night. I happened to check Instagram, and saw a fun photo by a coworker named Maria. We worked in the same department almost 2 years ago, and now she is in another building, so we rarely see each other. So I commented on her photo about how fun she is and told her I missed seeing her every day.

   Though we don't talk frequently, I have always liked Maria. She is funny, feisty, and an extremely avid concertgoer. She also loves pandas. So I thought it would be fun to send her a "virtual hi" from a panda. I never would have anticipated her response, which you see above. I had no idea that she was having a terrible day too, and that my comment and drawing would make such an impact.

   When I saw what she posted in response, I posted a second drawing:

   Again, I got a bigger reaction and then I anticipated. It just goes to show you that you can't underestimate the power of a kind word or gesture, no matter how small. And knowing that I made her day better made my day better too.

  I hope you, too, will take at least one small action to surprise someone and brighten their day.