Making Someone Else’s Day

 I have not given up getting my unpublished book “The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others” published. There is some “pushback” against my concept of a society where we all get along and are nice to each other. Then there are others who have been wonderfully supportive of me to go on with this project. I am incredibly grateful to them. I hope I can get the good word out there. That is the hard part for me, right now.

Sometimes when I am “out in the world,” I find myself living the exact principles that I have written about in “The Split Second.” Yesterday, I had just finished putting gas in my car at a nearby station. I went inside the Mini-Mart to make a quick purchase. I could not find the clerk or the cash register anywhere as it was hidden away from obvious view. I then heard a voice, “I’m over here.” To which I responded, “I didn’t see you over there.” I am glad I had a big wide smile. The clerk was an older lady (you can apply the same adjective to me) and immediately she said, “I am just here being grouchy;” however, she said this as she was smiling slightly. I told her, “I do not think you are grouchy at all. You have such a delightful smile.” She then said, “You are SO sweet. I hope you have a wonderful day.” I walked out of that mart feeling good inside.

“The Split Second” states as one of its principles that it can be nice if each one of us can really “make someone else’s day.” Honestly, I do not know if she was all that “grouch” before I walked in. I was just delighted that we both could enjoy a nice laugh and end our transaction on such an “up” note.

 I have seen too many folks in my time be demanding, short, ill-tempered, and even extremely non-cholent with clerks in stores, service people or wait staff in restaurants. I advocate for all of us being nice to one another in all situations and never to treat others as second-class citizens. In my mind’s eye, there are no second-class citizens.

My book is about thoughtfulness for others and openly showing it. Many have told me that this is slipping away in society. I believe that we can truly become a society where we can all think of others as we “go out in the world.”  It must start somewhere, and I am willing to be a pioneer to bring it back into society.