One of the best feelings in the world is randomly getting positive feedback when you’re not even looking for it. This is what happened to a Minnesota dad when he was at a coffee shop with his 9-year-old daughter.
David Rosenman is a Mayo Clinic doctor who has a heartwarming routine with his daughter: They go to a coffee shop every Sunday–both work on their own projects together. According to Yahoo Parenting, his daughter asked for something new last weekend: for his undivided attention. That’s when a stranger took note of the sweet gesture.
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Rosenman wrote a Facebook post that’s been shared about 10,000 times, describing how they talked about her friends, her pet hamster, and whether or not the couples seated near them were on dates. This doting dad wrote about how this moment made him pause, and appreciate his daughter even more: “I watched her chew her breakfast sandwich and melted a little bit as I thought about how much I love her.”
When he went to order something, he came back to his table to find a stranger left a note. The note reads:
“I work at a school where many daughters don’t have fathers & those who do have never in their lives had him watch and listen and devote 100% of his attention to her for as long as you did on one Sunday morning. You have no idea what a gift you are giving to all the teachers who are responsible for educating her from now until she graduates.”
Rosenman was so surprised by the note that he posted it to Facebook as a way to inspire more people, stating:
“I invite you to share the gift of this experience with me: choose to be present today–even for just a little while—for someone you love. If you see it happen somewhere, consider leaving a note—it sure does leave an impression.”
Dear Fellow Human Beings,This morning, at her request, I took our 9-year-old daughter to a coffee shop. She brought…
Posted by David Rosenman on Sunday, November 22, 2015
It’s easy to get distracted by our jobs, smartphones, and daily stresses without realizing to actually take a moment to have an actual conversation. It’s important to remember that sometimes kids just want to talk (and not about homework), and not every child will be as straightforward as to ask. This note reminds us all to make time for that, for everyone in our lives.
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Of course, it’s also incredible to see a stranger acknowledge what a pivotal role this dad is playing in his daughter’s life. Parents often don’t receive validation for all their hard work, and this is an indication that we should give each other more of that in general. The good thing about spreading kindness is that it’s contagious.
