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The other day, I went in for an eye exam, which I\u2019d been putting off for months. To make matters worse, it was a rainy Monday morning and I\u2019d woken up already feeling behind on the hundred things I needed to get done. <\/p>\n
So, you can imagine how delighted I was about having to spend the next hour getting air puffed into my eyes and squinting to make out those tiny little letters on that belittling chart, just to confirm what I\u2019ve known since the fourth grade: my eyesight sucks.<\/p>\n
As I fidgeted in my squeaky chair, the optometrist walked in and introduced himself. Dr. D was wearing a cerulean knit sweater and rectangular glasses with thick lenses. His head was blanketed in wispy tufts of white hair (more cirrus than cumulus, if you must know), and he had an ease and playfulness that reminded me of my dad.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good news is, your eyesight shouldn\u2019t get any worse,\u201d he said, grinning. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the few benefits of getting older. Nearsightedness tends to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pulled up a photo of my eyes and as he pointed out my macula, a small but very important part of the retina, I\u2019m told, I noticed he had a slight tremor in his hand. I wondered how long he\u2019d had it and thought about my dad again. Before I could dwell on this for too long, my thoughts were interrupted. <\/p>\n
\u201cOK, pop quiz! How do you spell macula?\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cM-A-C\u2026 U-L-A?\u201d I had never heard of a macula before and wasn\u2019t sure if the word had one or two Cs.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery good. Your prize is a new prescription.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed. Dr. D clicked through more images of my eyes and explained that I had astigmatism and went into great detail about the axis and cylinder numbers on my prescription, all while peppering in movie recommendations and stories about his daughter. I don\u2019t remember the rest of our conversation, but at one point I was laughing so hard I had to stop the exam to wipe away tears.<\/p>\n
Walking out of his office, I felt so much lighter \u2014 bubbly, even. Our interaction had injected some carbonation into my previously flat mood, and the energy carried me through the rest of the day, as I made my way through the tedious list of to-dos that had weighed me down just hours before.<\/p>\n
It got me thinking about all of the ordinary encounters we have on any given day \u2014 with the cashier at our coffee shop, the mail carrier, the dentist, or in this case, the eye doctor \u2014 and it struck me how much of an impact we can have on others by how we treat them. It doesn\u2019t have to be some great gesture; you can turn someone\u2019s day around simply by giving them your full attention, if even for a brief moment.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d love to know: What are some of the ordinary encounters you\u2019ve had recently that have made a difference in your day? <\/strong><\/p>\n Jenny Jin<\/a> is a beauty editor, writer and on-air expert based in Los Angeles. On Cup of Jo, she shared her week of outfits<\/a> and has written about breakups<\/a> and friendships<\/a>. Find her on Instagram @jyjin<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n P.S. Nine reader comments on kindness<\/a>, and do you have a not-so-stranger<\/a>?<\/p>\n (Photo by Lindsey Rivera\/Stocksy.)<\/p>\n