An owner of a U-Haul store in somewhere-ville, USA shared this incredible story with a radio DJ and it is one that I will never forget. The owner wanted to express to the DJ how much of an impact this Christian radio station has had on his life as well as many others. He went on to share that every morning, while walking around the U-Haul truck lot, he would inspect the vehicles & set the radios to play on the same station – every day. He said that he had been doing this for years always wondering if this small action would ever have an impact on someone. He had hoped that maybe the songs that played would give encouragement at the perfect moment or perhaps spark interest in someone’s heart who has never heard a song meant to inspire and build faith. The owner continued to tell the DJ how one day a man came into his store to pick up a truck but ended up returning after 30 minutes with tears in his eyes. He seemed to be extremely confused and panicked as he asked the owner what radio station was playing in the truck and what particular song he had heard. He described some of the lyrics in desperation of finding out more about these words and immediately the owner knew what song he was referring to. The song is called “Ships in the Night” by Mat Kearney and the lyrics describe the isolation and hurt that can be experienced in a broken marriage. The customer ended up sharing with the U-Haul owner that he had rented a truck because he was on his way to pack up his belongings and leave his wife and family. He said that as soon as he started driving away from the shop, that this song came on the radio and he ended up pulling over on the side of the road to listen to the words. It was the words of this song that brought him to tears and turn around to the U-Haul shop and give his marriage another chance.
What an incredible story of how our actions can have the most profound impact on a stranger’s life. When I first heard this story I felt so convicted that I don’t do enough. I felt guilty of knowing I am constantly passing by people in the office, at the store and in my very urban, downtown neighborhood who are in great need and that I am just not doing enough. It is difficult to know what we can accomplish when some problems can seem impossible to solve. But this story is a reminder that we can do something and that even the smallest actions can have the biggest impact. A small act of kindness to a stranger can be the exact action that someone needs to help get them through another day or choose between 2 routes that will forever alter the course of their life.
Ships in the Night
Mat Kearney
Like ships in the night
You keep passing me by,
Just wasting time,
trying to prove who's right
And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If it's just you and me,
trying to find the light
Like ships in the night, letting cannonballs fly,
say what you mean and it turns to a fight
Fist fly from my mouth as it turns south
You're down the driveway, I'm on the couch
Chasing your dreams since the violent fifth grade
Trying to believe in your silent own way
Cuz we'll be okay, I'm not going to wait
Have you watched it 14 as it went down the drain,
hip-hop stayed the same and your mom's moved away,
how many of our parents seem to make it anyway
we're just fumbling through the gray
trying to find a heart that's not walking Away.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone we can feel so far from so
Close.
Like ships in the night
You keep passing me by,
Just wasting time,
trying to prove who's right
And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If it's just you and me,
trying to find the light like ships in the night, there passing
Me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
I'm at the airport waitin' on a second plane had to pack you had cramps and
I was late headed to a red carpet they won’t know my name right ridding in
Silence all that we wanna say bout to bored when you call on the phone you
Say I'm sorry I'll be waiting at home feels like were burning this out on
Our own trying to find our way down a road we don't know.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone, we can feel so far from so
Close. like ships in the night they keep passing me by, just wasting time
Trying to prove who's right and if it all goes crashing into the sea if it's
Just you and me trying to find the light like ships in the night, there
Passing me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
You keep passing me by,
Just wasting time,
trying to prove who's right
And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If it's just you and me,
trying to find the light
Like ships in the night, letting cannonballs fly,
say what you mean and it turns to a fight
Fist fly from my mouth as it turns south
You're down the driveway, I'm on the couch
Chasing your dreams since the violent fifth grade
Trying to believe in your silent own way
Cuz we'll be okay, I'm not going to wait
Have you watched it 14 as it went down the drain,
hip-hop stayed the same and your mom's moved away,
how many of our parents seem to make it anyway
we're just fumbling through the gray
trying to find a heart that's not walking Away.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone we can feel so far from so
Close.
Like ships in the night
You keep passing me by,
Just wasting time,
trying to prove who's right
And if it all goes crashing into the sea
If it's just you and me,
trying to find the light like ships in the night, there passing
Me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
I'm at the airport waitin' on a second plane had to pack you had cramps and
I was late headed to a red carpet they won’t know my name right ridding in
Silence all that we wanna say bout to bored when you call on the phone you
Say I'm sorry I'll be waiting at home feels like were burning this out on
Our own trying to find our way down a road we don't know.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone, we can feel so far from so
Close. like ships in the night they keep passing me by, just wasting time
Trying to prove who's right and if it all goes crashing into the sea if it's
Just you and me trying to find the light like ships in the night, there
Passing me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
