Thanks to Rebecca Ward for sharing this blog!
Years ago my sweetest daughter-in-law and I slipped away and
went to a movie. It was called “Pay It Forward” and as you might suspect, the
theme was how to keep kindness to others moving from person to person. Very
heartwarming movie. Yet in the midst of all the goodwill being spread around on
the big screen,someone’s cell phone burst into song and immediately boos and
hisses rang through the theatre . Not kind, not patient or accepting were these
reprimanding folk sharing the auditorium. I almost shouted out “Hey, pay it forward” but
decided silence was the better choice. The poor woman with the operatic phone
sunk in her seat after frantically shutting it off.
I often think about why strangers aren’t kinder to each
other. I watch angry drivers and hurried shoppers in apoplectic states when
another driver stops on yellow or the shopper ahead pulls out coupons.
It’s as if the children had been sold or
the house disappeared into a sink hole, big events that warrant a strong
emotional response. But being delayed 3 minutes? Or 7 or whatever. No kindness,
no patience. It seems that others are
not our fellow planet dwellers but impediments to our needs being met in a
speedy manner.
So I was so surprised today to have several strangers do nice
things for me. One nice young woman held the door open for me and wished me a
good day! Another let me into traffic when two lanes turned into one..and she
did it with a wave and a smile! The sales folks I encountered were friendly and
helpful and seemed glad I was there instead of ticked because I interrupted
their texting. Oh, and a very nice man let me ahead of him in the grocery store
line because I had fewer items and he wasn’t in a hurry! Swell!
It has all been lovely and I’ve felt positive and energized
by all the consideration and kindness shown to me….by strangers!! I am going to
“pay it forward”. I am not going to wait
until the last minute to head to an appointment so I am stressed to get there
on time and other people not being in a hurry frustrates me and I start
engaging unflattering “traffic talk” which isn’t very nice. I will not go
to the grocery store if my time isn’t flexible. I’m going to be nicer and more considerate to others.
I’ve made up my mind.
I’m really going to do this. Wouldn’t it be grand if being nice to each
other was contagious?
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