Credit: Paramount Pictures
During his famous Run Across America, Forrest meets a man who is struggling in the T-shirt business. The man wants to put Forrest’s picture on the T-shirt, but because “he couldn’t draw that well and didn’t have a camera” … he didn’t know what to do.
At that exact moment, a semi truck passes in front of both men, the tires hit a large puddle, and mud splashes right up into Forrest’s face.
The T-shirt man gives Forrest a yellow shirt and says, “Here, use this one. Nobody likes that color anyway.” Forrest wipes his face, returns the shirt, and graciously says, “Have a nice day.”
It was a simple and kindly way for Forrest to conclude what could have very easily been interpreted as an unpleasant experience – instead, he turned and said, “Have a nice day.”
The man stops running and examines the shirt. A muddy “Happy Face” is visible.
In a voice-over, Forrest says, “And some years later, I found out that that man did come up with an idea for a T-shirt and he made a lot of money off of it.”
Movie fiction? Absolutely.
The power of being gracious? Not to be underestimated.
The possibility of new ideas arising from a single act of kindness? I’m a believer.
When you wish someone a nice day, there are no limits to how nice their day may become.
Next Blog Title: I’m Not a Smart Man … But I Know What Urgent Is
Next Blog Date: September 26, 2011