When one man shared his story on Facebook about his recent experience at Lane’s Ferry Grill, he never dreamed it would go viral and be shared thousands of times on social media. But that’s exactly what happened.

Farris Leonard, from North Carolina, says he went to the local eatery to eat lunch. He says the place has fantastic food with a great staff and he was really in the mood for a real bacon cheeseburger. The place was packed, but he found a seat with one empty seat across from him.

As he sat alone waiting on his food, a lone elderly gentleman caught his attention and pointed at the empty chair. Leonard motioned for him to have a seat and the gentleman began filling out his order sheet. One of the staff members stopped by to let Leonard know that the gentleman communicates with notes because he can’t hear or speak well.

Leonard says he and the gentleman passed notes back and forth so much that they filled up both sides of the paper. The man explained that he’d met JFK and in the 40’s he went to Arizona once and it was 120 degrees.

Leonard says that his story may seem insignificant, but was it was very significant to him. He says as he sat there with the man he wondered if the 93 year old man was having as good of a time as he was so before he left he took the time to write him one final note.

It said, “Sir I want to thank you for sharing lunch with me. I must go now but I want you to know that you made my day a better day. Take care of yourself.” The reply from the elderly gentleman was more than he expected.

The elderly man embraced his heart and reached out and gave him a real handshake. The two gentlemen hugged and took a picture together. Leonard says the point of his story is not about what he did, but what we all can do.

He took time out of his day and showed compassion to a man that made not only his day brighter, but the older gentleman as well. Leonard says that passing notes with the gentleman was absolutely priceless.