My personal mantra is Kindness Is My Default. I really do live it every day because of the “so many paths that wind and wind”–not only do we not know the journey that everyone is on, our journeys put us in contact with so many people at different times in their lives. We don’t always catch them on their Best Days.
(And no one out there facing the public is ever getting paid what they’re worth!)
Nance, you are absolutely right, of course. I like that mantra, it puts into words how I try to live as well. And yeah, it takes a lot to put up with people, you are right about that. I had public facing jobs for quite a few years, and the public can be in turns wonderful and horrid. The other day was my mom’s birthday, and I found myself having a pity party in the grocery store checkout line. Missing her, missing my dad, all of it. It just hit me. I’ve been going to this grocery store for many years, and I know the checkers as well as one does in such situations, so when she asked how I was doing, I first said I was well, but then I said, actually, right now I’m not doing well. Today is my mom’s birthday and I’m missing her terribly. I started crying, and she came around the check stand and gave me a gentle hug. I guess Kindness is her default as well.
Oh, J. I’m sorry you were having such a rough time of it. Of course you miss your mother. From what I know of the stories you’ve shared about her, she was a remarkable woman and your family was a close-knit group as you grew up together.
I’m glad the cashier was empathetic and comforting. I love my grocery store and know so many people there, too. They would be just the same. Kindness does breed Kindness.
XO
6 Comments
Ally Bean
Beautiful thought and photo. Now could you make this so, please?
J
Thanks Ally, the photo is from our trip to France last summer. It is a flower in Monet’s garden.
Regarding making it so, I try every day. If only I had more control of the assholes out there….wait, that wasn’t very kind of me, was it?
nance
Lovely photo.
My personal mantra is Kindness Is My Default. I really do live it every day because of the “so many paths that wind and wind”–not only do we not know the journey that everyone is on, our journeys put us in contact with so many people at different times in their lives. We don’t always catch them on their Best Days.
(And no one out there facing the public is ever getting paid what they’re worth!)
J
Nance, you are absolutely right, of course. I like that mantra, it puts into words how I try to live as well. And yeah, it takes a lot to put up with people, you are right about that. I had public facing jobs for quite a few years, and the public can be in turns wonderful and horrid. The other day was my mom’s birthday, and I found myself having a pity party in the grocery store checkout line. Missing her, missing my dad, all of it. It just hit me. I’ve been going to this grocery store for many years, and I know the checkers as well as one does in such situations, so when she asked how I was doing, I first said I was well, but then I said, actually, right now I’m not doing well. Today is my mom’s birthday and I’m missing her terribly. I started crying, and she came around the check stand and gave me a gentle hug. I guess Kindness is her default as well.
nance
Oh, J. I’m sorry you were having such a rough time of it. Of course you miss your mother. From what I know of the stories you’ve shared about her, she was a remarkable woman and your family was a close-knit group as you grew up together.
I’m glad the cashier was empathetic and comforting. I love my grocery store and know so many people there, too. They would be just the same. Kindness does breed Kindness.
XO
J
Thank you Nance, yes, it was a hard day, which is a testament to how much I love my parents, and how close I was with my mom growing up.