What if you could stop someone’s loneliness or feelings of insignificance even for just a moment? Would you? Why do we ignore each other? Why do we pass by the teenager with all of the tattoos and piercing and avert our eyes? Why do we glare at the mother of a child who won’t stop crying? We see an older gentleman in a store coming up to strangers and trying to engage them in conversation and we go two aisles out of our way to avoid him. Why?
Kindness…one word, so small but so large. Why are we in such a rush? Is it really too much to ask to say a kind word to someone, is it too much a bother to show compassion?
Remember the mother with the screaming child? The one you gave an exasperated dirty look to? Her husband just left for war today.
Remember the older gentleman in the store? He lost his wife of 50 years six months ago and he is just longing to connect with another person, if only for a moment.
The teenager? Struggling with a broken home, maybe an alcoholic abusive parent; feeling insignificant and in so much pain that they are considering a way to make the pain stop.
We do not know what goes on in one another lives, certainly not everyone we pass has a life as sorrowful or dramatic as these but many of them do and we never know. We never know what it would have meant to that mother to give her a sympathetic glance or even a kind word, what it would have meant to spare five minutes of your time to talk to a lonely old man, to acknowledge the teenager on the street with a hello.
We live in a world that centers around “me”. Nothing is about anyone else, its all about us and how everyone else’s behavior is effecting our lives. What if for one day we tried to be kind to each and every person we encountered. Nothing big just a smile, a hello or a compliment…You don’t even have to stop walking, just acknowledge the person next to you. I am shy by nature (until you get to know me) and like many other people I hate to bring attention to myself…but that’s just it, it’s not about “me”..I have tried this many times, walking down the steps to the library and saying hello to someone who didn’t expect to be spoken to, you wouldn’t believe the way it lights some ones face up, at first in shock and then in happiness. (although there are a few that still give you the death glare lol)
I challenge you this week to reach out in some way to everyone that you encounter, I’d love to hear about it as well J
That's part of the reason I like my part time job. We work very hard at customer service and I'm one of the only moms who work there. The college girls just do NOT get it when they are helping a mom rushing off to a birthday party, on a budget and trying to find a present from their child while their child asks them to buy things in the store. They don't get it when the mom is trying to hold a baby in one arm, sign the credit card slip with the other hand while a preschooler is pulling all the bright and colorful toys off the shelf and the mom is embarassed. Our prices are slighly higher than a Target or Walmart but we help them. We wrap the gifts for them and offer inexpensive cards, give their child a pen to sign it with and make sure that when they walk out the door, rushing to that birthday party, they are ready to go - no other stops, no digging for a pen & tape or a tattered gift bag and tissue.
ReplyDeleteI like that the grandparent who walks in without a clue as to what to get for a 3 year old that lives in another state walks out feeling like they have *the* perfect present to take on their visit. We listen to them, we are mindful of their budgets, we help them, explain things, heck we even open a package if they are unsure and we have as many "demo" toys in the store as possible! I like that in some small way I can help people in that area. We don't ignore them when they walk in - we greet them but we don't just call out a "hello". I walk up to them, look them in the eye and offer to help with a smile.
sounds like a wonderful store!
ReplyDeleteLovely post. I came from a small village in Cheshire where everybody knew everybody and you'd have to leave 30 minutes early to get anywhere since you'd end up stopping for so many chats on the way :) London was a brutal shock to the system, eye contact from me makes people nervous enough to cross the street (I'm a 23 year old who dresses work-smart most of the time, no hoodied teen) and I get NO response from shopkeepers or bus drivers if I say good morning. I actually feel like I'm annoying people with my chirpiness lol but I need to keep in the habit lest I turn into a London person in my soul. I'd never be able to fit in at home again!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I need to work on this. I tend to build up walls around myself which also means I don't reach out as often as I should. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post! It's so true! I've been looking on youtube about something called Bystander Effect. It's when a person ignores or doesnt help the situation because they dont want hastle or its not there business. When really they should speak out and help!
ReplyDeleteRetro Wife,
ReplyDeleteWow! This was an excellent post, and convicted my heart to pieces! It's hard to reach-out to others, especially when you are shy (like me).
When I do my blog-link post sharing next month, I'm going to put this one on my list. I think it's an important one that others need to read.
-Lady Rose
P.S. By the way, you are welcomed to visit my blog any time. :)