Watch or listen:
Vodcast | Podcast
Spring Is Coming I Can Feel It started at one of those cold cement tables outside my local Dunkin’. I had my favorite coffee in hand, the kind that tastes familiar and steady, and I was sitting there lost in thought. Bills. Health. The state of the world. The kind of complex things that feel heavier when you’re alone with them.
The clerk had given me a free donut on my way out. She was so excited to offer it, like it was a prize she’d been waiting to award. I didn’t have the heart to explain that diabetes keeps me from enjoying things like that. Her joy however was bigger than any explanation I could give. I knew Mary would happily take it when I brought it home, so nothing would go to waste.
I sat there with that small paper bag beside me and finally did something different. Instead of asking God to fix everything circling my mind, I bowed my head just to say thank You. It wasn’t long. It wasn’t dramatic. Just gratitude for the good things He gives me every day. For breath. For coffee. For Mary. For work. For mercy I don’t always notice.
When I opened my eyes, he was sitting a few feet away.
Spring Is Coming I Can Feel It at a Cement Table
He wasn’t asking for anything. Just sitting there with a worn-haired dog at his feet. The dog was a mess of fur and loyalty, the kind of companion that’s seen a lot of miles. No words at first. Just a smile. “Good morning,” I said. He returned it. I held up the small bag. “You know, I received a gift I can’t accept because of my health. Would you like it?”
He smiled again and took the bag. When he opened it, you could see the sparkle in his eyes. “It’s my favorite kind!” His whole face changed. It’s something about watching someone receive something small that feels big. I always ask for a double cup so I don’t burn my hands. I poured half my coffee into the extra one and slid it toward him. Another smile. Then he said something I won’t forget. “Spring is coming I can feel it.”
Hope Without a Sermon
I agreed. I told him I was looking forward to the warmer weather too. There was something about the way he said it. Not like a weather report. More like a promise. We talked a little more. I told him about the church I attend and how they have a pantry. No questions asked. I said I was sure they’d have something for his friend too, nodding toward the dog. “That’s Pete,” he said. “He’s my best friend.”
He told me he didn’t have church clothes. I chuckled and asked, “Do you have clothes?” “Yes!” he replied. I smiled and said… “Then you have church clothes.” It wasn’t clever. It was just true.
Gratitude Changes What You See
Here’s what struck me later. I didn’t go there looking to help someone. I didn’t wake up planning to minister. I went for coffee. I sat with my thoughts. I bowed my head in gratitude. And when I lifted it, I saw someone I might have missed. Spring Is Coming I Can Feel It wasn’t just his line. It was the lesson.
Gratitude shifts your posture. When you stop demanding that God solve everything and start thanking Him for what’s already good, your eyes adjust. You see differently. You notice differently. The donut I couldn’t eat became exactly what someone else needed. The extra cup I always request out of habit became a warm hand on a cold morning.
Nothing dramatic happened. No music swelled. No one applauded. Just a man, his dog Pete, a favorite donut, half a cup of coffee, and the quiet sense that maybe spring really was closer than it felt.
✨ Roadside Reflection:
Sometimes we bow our heads asking God to fix what feels heavy. But sometimes the holiest thing we can do is say thank You. Gratitude steadies the heart and clears the eyes. And when you lift your head, you might see someone who needs exactly what you’re holding. A donut. Half a coffee. A reminder that spring is coming. You don’t have to preach to witness. You just have to be willing to share what you’ve been given. Hard to witness without witnessing. But sometimes, it’s that simple.
Return to Journal |
Listen to the Podcast |
Watch on YouTube |
Visit Greater Good Science Center