This morning on my way to work, I stopped by Tim Hortons (fondly referred as Timmy’s up here in Canada) for a much-needed coffee where I had a little run-in with kindness. The car ahead of me wanted to turn left into the drive-thru lane, while I could’ve easily turned right and zipped ahead. Instead, I gave a smile and waved them in. They waved back, I felt like a decent human being and figured that was that.

But when I pulled up to the window, I learned they had paid for my coffee. A simple gesture, but wow, did it make my day. It felt like a tiny miracle in a paper cup.

It struck me that these little courtesies such as letting someone cut into line, holding a door, giving up a seat, don’t happen every day. And when they do, they’re enough to set your whole day on a brighter course. Because suddenly, you’re not just drinking coffee; you’re drinking kindness.

And here’s the funny thing: they were only repaying me for letting them in line. But their gesture left me thinking, this is going to be a good day. Sometimes that’s all it takes; the expectation that things will go well. Thoughts really do shape your perception.

That little lesson reminded me of a neighbor my wife and I often recall with great fondness: Janet. She had this uncanny ability to radiate positivity. You know the type, someone who just lights up a room by walking into it. One day, curiosity got the best of me, and I asked her, “Janet, how do you do it? How do you stay so positive?”

She looked at me as if I’d asked whether she was aware the sky is blue. She said she knew bad things happen. Of course she did. But she never let that dim her outlook. Even though that didn’t necessarily answer my question on how she does it, after some time I finally figured it out and realized her secret wasn’t complicated at all.

It was gratitude.

Janet always voiced what she was thankful for. Big or small. And when you consistently remind yourself of what’s good, your brain connects gratitude with happiness. The result? You don’t just feel happy, you share happiness. It seeps out of you and touches everyone around.

So thank you, Janet, for teaching me that the secret sauce of happiness is as simple as being grateful. Your attitude shaped not just your life, but ours too. I’ve happily shared this secret with my oldest daughter and, once she is capable of understanding, my youngest daughter, because it will brighten their lives. And what more could any parent want than for their children to be happy?

It feels especially fitting that the photo in this article comes from my daughter’s tahnik ceremony. In the front row, Janet sits on the left with her husband Bob behind her, while my wife and I are on the right, with me holding our baby. It’s a snapshot of joy, family, and friendship all in one frame.

During a tahnik, a respected elder rubs a softened date or honey on the baby’s palate and whispers blessings into their ear, giving them a sweet start in life both physically and spiritually. Much like Janet’s gift of gratitude, the tahnik reminds us that life is best begun, and best lived, with sweetness, blessings, and positivity. If we can carry that forward, whether through coffee kindness, gratitude, or whispered blessings, we can spread a little more happiness in the world.

And as for me? Well, I think it’s time I keep the chain going. Tomorrow, I’ll buy someone else’s Timmy’s. After all, happiness, like coffee, should be shared.

Gratefully yours,

Greg Shepard

~ Founder of Dallas Maids LLC, CEO of Oakville Maids Inc.