Do Me A Favor?
Several recent events have got me thinking, somewhat obsessively unfortunately, about issues of punishment, retribution, and the shear meanness of some people with whom we share this Earth. So I’m asking everyone to do me just one favor today. Please catch yourself before you curse at that driver who’s going just a bit too slow, or before you use a sharp tone with the clerk who just made an error ringing up your purchase, or before you judge that person about whom you know nothing, or . . . whatever.
Thanks.
Tomorrow, back to knitting. Promise.
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Susan | Uncategorized
Sometimes it’s the little things, isn’t it? We go about our lives, mad about what our boss or our kids or our partners did to us and don’t realize just how wrapped up we are in ourselves.
That cashier, other driver or anyone could be having just as bad a day. Our one kind word can make such a difference in their day. Our one kind gesture - even if unknown to anyone can make a difference in ours.
Thanks for the reminder.
Sounds like a good plan!
I will do my best.
Interesting. I read something similar on another blog out there about being part of a community. It must be the full moon. I totally agree with you, though. Let’s think positive thoughts and spread them around. Great idea.
I can relate - did you read my post about the guy who freaked out at me in my co-op… over muffins?!??
Delurking to say that I hear you and that it is so important a message — and so important to hear. Little drops of patience, kindness, lovingness go so far. As do their counterparts. It is hard in the grind to always remember how important it is to spread the love. But it is. It is.
Yeah, all of those people sound like my dad… Sorry Earth!
It is very rarely that people deliberately go out of their way to diss you. In my experience it has always been because they have something else on their mind.
Yeah, no kidding! Our words and actions have so much power. It’s so much better to send out some small kindness than meanness. (Or at least ignore the crappy driver and not to get caught up in the negativity). I still think about something I wish I could suck back. About 20 years ago, a man was harrasing/coming on to me verbally, and just wouldn’t stop. Never got close enough to be a real threat, but he kept going on after I told him to stop and he just pissed me off. My guy (6′3″ and hairy) met me, and the other man just left. As we walked toward home, I was telling my guy about it and how I just was so angry I wanted to call him a “n…..”. You know who heard me actually say the word? A kid, about 4 or 5 years old playing in his yard. His look crushed me, I had verified something terrible for him. I learned about the power of our words that day. I think it even extends to our thoughts. And the full moon thing? Yup, it does change folks’ behavior… ask anybody who works with the public regularly.
You got it. Thanks for the reminder to just be nice. It’s not hard but sometimes we forget.
Thanks for the note of sanity. When my daughter was little we were driving in the car and she said “Look at all the idiots driving today”. After I picked myself up off the floor I corrected her. She thought (from what her dad always said) that that’s what you called drivers of cars.
YES! I couldn’t agree more. And please don’t say hurtful things about someone who is having difficulty doing things you take for granted.
Good point, Susan. I will make some extra effort to heed your Call for Kindness.
It’s so true, we have no way of knowing what just happened to that person to make him cut you off on the freeway, or whatever.
Oh my goodness. It’s nice to briefly get online and see this post of yours. It brings me home and makes me feel close to everything and everyone back home. Thank you for the thoughts, and for the way you expressed them.
Here is a quote to think about from Saint Francis de Sales, “Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering you own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew.”
One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to learn was to not take things personally-whether it’s someone tailgating me or being rude in another way.
It’s difficult.
((Susan))
The new site looks great, btw.
A little civility and given our fellow humans a break is a good thing. BTW, I started Forest Canopy and LOVE it! I’ve make some good progres on it!
This is something we call non-resistance. Jesus teaches about it on the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5-7. It is very good to live by, not that I am always perfect at it. Thanks for the reminder.
Jo Anna
It’s 4 am and I can’t think of a better message to be reminded of as the day begins. Will blog with a quote from your site and link back…pay it forward - pass it on!
And since I’ve delurked must add I will be casting on the “Harry Potter” socks - maybe a warm up for Sock Madness!
TIA for sharing
Yikes! I know I am reading this Monday morning, but I have already done all those head-exploding things this morning. Was it the full moon last night? I’m trying to be better now.
and don’t cuss or anything when the bus stops on the corner instead of at your stop cuz the driver just might be stopping there to help someone who cannot walk; in that case i pray thnaks that although i ride the bus i am able to walk .
Mean People Suck!
A great idea Susan..I always try to take in to consideration the fact I don’t know the trials this person may have had to endure before their encounter with me..Random Acts of Kindness speak loudly~~
Then there’s the other side of the coin - so nice you tend to be the doormat. Gotta work on that.
Good advice. I’ve been making a conscious effort to be more tolerant, less judgemental, slower to anger and quicker to forgive. I find I am much happier when I just let things go instead of getting angry or resentful.
Yea! I totally agree and will do my part.
Do to others as you would have others do to you. ~Luke 6:31
Words to live by. xoxox
Thanks so much for your post today. I’ve thought a fair bit about the whole “judging” deal . . . and it’s a topic that I think is so misunderstood. So often people, especially Christians (of which I am), interpret “judge not” as “form no opinion”, or “don’t use your brain”. Instead we should recognize poor behavior silently, and show a better alternative when presented with such a show. The turning point for me was when I was driving somewhere a few years ago in a rural area, and was the only one on the road. Approaching the place where a side road came into the one I was on, a small black car in poor repair pulled out right in front of me. It was blatantly clear that the woman driving was having one hellish day . . . she had pushed the car to its limit and swerved violently . . . and the thought came so clearly into my mind that the last thing she needed was for me to make it worse.
So, instead of making someone else’s day worse, I do my best take the opportunity to try to smile and bring out the sun a little.
Susan, I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I also look for reasons to explain to my kids (in front of other, impatient strangers) why we should never be rude to others. There’s just no way we could know enough about someone else’s life to justify being unkind. Well honestly, I don’t think there’s ever, ever a good excuse for driving on the wrong side of the road but I don’t give people the finger after they almost hit me or anything.
It seems to be contagious, too. I hope that kindness is contagious, but to be honest, so far it hasn’t been, but I will never stop trying. Many years ago I learned that every single person you meet during a day is experiencing life no better or worse than you are. We are, all of us, part of the human family.
Promise! I just came across your Branching Out scarf pattern and my fingers are itching to get started on this beautiful pattern - thank you.
As you know already, impulsive bad behavior has seriously impacted my family recently, so I am with you 100% on this… trying to train my young adult drivers to calm down behind the wheel… after all, it’s just a moment and not the whole show, but what happens in that moment can have a lasting impact. Thanks for bringing this up!
today I was very careful not to be accusative when I made the nice lady at the cafe aware of the 2 slices of chicken [ to which I am allergic ] that were adhered to the underside of my vegetarian focaccia. She was so apologetic that she gave me a free cake. All I wanted to do was have them be a little more vigilant about their food handling practices but okay. I’m not going to knock back free vanilla slice.
Earlier I had tootled along behind a truck going 10km per hour under the limit on a rural main road. I was just enjoying the day and the drive but several other drivers took risks to get past. Maybe they were in more of a hurry than i was? Who knows.On the plus side no one was abusive as far as I could see so score one point for the hurried but nice people.