I remember noticing that the regular crossing guard at one of our intersections was not there anymore; he had been replaced by a younger man. I just couldn’t stop thinking about him, so after a few days had gone by and traffic was a bit slower in the afternoon, I pulled over to the side of the road and lowered my right-side window and asked the new man about the older crossing guard.

He told me that he was in an auto accident in his car and he was laid up, but he was okay. I asked if he would be seeing him and he said, “Yes!”

“Please tell him that I asked about him and I sent my best wishes for his speedy recovery. He doesn’t know my name because I never spoke with him, but please tell him anyway.” He assured me that he would tell him. I thanked him as I drove away.

While I was driving, I remembered how I would see him on very hot days in the summer and on rainy days and on very cold days in the winter when the snow was coming down. He was always out there, while I was in the comfort of my car. He would walk quickly to the middle of the road while holding up that red hexagon stop sign to halt the traffic until the schoolchildren crossed the road safely. The kids always waited for the cars to stop and then looked at him to make sure it was safe to cross.

Many times I’d see parents with their kids take a second to smile and nod with appreciation to this older gentleman who cared, as they were walking across that intersection.

I would also like to take a second to say, “Thank you, sir” to our crossing guard, and now while I’m writing in our newspaper, I would like to say “Thank you!” from all of us—to all crossing guards everywhere. You are truly a very special and important group of men and women in our lives, and we want you to understand how much you are appreciated… and that you will always be in our thoughts and in our prayers. May God bless you and keep you well and strong always.

David S. Weinstein makes simple words tell a story of life’s complex, heartfelt and compelling truths.