I have been giving away bread for about 1.5 years now, and I still get a thrill and sometimes some good old fashioned nerves when I walk up to a door. My 14-year-old son has transitioned into open mortification that his mom could walk up to someone’s door she doesn’t know to hand them bread (“and love!” I tell him), but he will still sit in the car and wait on me while I am off doing my thing. I remember that teenage anxiety of sticking out, being paralyzed at the thought of being different. I guess that is what your forties are for. Being over it. So, I just swallow that little flicker of nerves and remind myself that I am not there on my own behalf. Besides, I can’t imagine missing out on meeting the people on the other side of the door!

And speaking of that, a few weeks ago I met the most amazing person. He was a nonagenarian and completely defied his age. Allow me to set the scene.

It was Friday night, a night that generally sees me either making Friday night pizza or huddled with the family watching a movie and ordering take out. But this night I wanted to get a bread delivery in before the weekend officially started. As I pulled up to the house of my recipient, I was delighted to find him sitting out front with his dog enjoying the evening air. I introduced myself, gave my quick little run down on why I was there and handed over the bread (fan favorite, cinnamon swirl).

At that point, he invited me to sit with him for a bit, and we struck up a lovely conversation. I learned that he had collected sayings, proverbs, aphorisms, and inspirational quotes his whole life. In fact, he even kept laminated copies of what he considered the 10 basic rules for life so that he could hand them out to people. He said no one leaves his house without receiving a copy, and I am happy to report I now have his words to live by on my bedside table. I found him wonderful to talk to. He was just so filled with calm confidence and quiet joy.

I was completely enchanted with him at that point, but then it got better. He told me he had a list of people he sent these inspirations out to daily–early each morning. Well, of course, I had to get on the list. “Do you have a smartphone?” he asked. Not words I would have expected from a 93-year old that is for sure. The good news is that I could answer “yes!”. As I entered my number into his phone, he added me to an app (!) he had that mass texts his contacts. He informed me I was number 307. Not 13, not 36 or even 72. Nope, 307. He referred to this as his micro ministry, and that was it. I was over the moon. That was the perfect description of what I have been trying to do in my own way with a slightly different medium. I love the idea of everyone carrying out their own micro ministries of kindness and love.

I asked how he had gotten started with his ministry, and he answered with how many years, months, and days he had been lucky enough to be married to his wife. He then told me he had started sending out the daily texts sometime after she passed away. In spite of his loss, or maybe because of it, he was still giving–still doing for others and providing a bright spot to the start of people’s day. God willing, I will still be able to do the same when I am his age.

People are truly amazing. In honor of Russ, my new friend, I thought I would include his 10 basics for life:

1. How you say it often counts more than what you say.
2. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
3. Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging word about someone. Praise good work, no matter who did it.
4. Be interested in others, their work, their homes, their families. Let everyone you meet feel you regard them as a person of importance.
5. Be cheerful. Don’t burden others with your problems and disappointments. Remember, everyone is carrying some kind of burden.
6. Keep an open mind. Discuss, but don’t argue. Disagree without being disagreeable.
7. Let your virtues speak for themselves. Refuse to talk about the vices of others; it is a waste of time and can be destructive and hurtful.
8. Consider others. Wit and humor at the expense of another is never worth the pain it inflicts.
9. Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you Live so others know they are not true.
10. Don’t be anxious about the credit due you. Do your best to be patient. Forget about yourself and let others remember. Success is much sweeter that way.