Member-only story
Be kind when you do NOT want to.
He Rolled Down His Window and Did This
Many years ago, when I was really young, I drove everywhere like it was an emergency. During that time, a man showed me some kindness that I have never forgotten. In fact, his tiny gesture made such an impression that it’s fifty years later and it’s still influencing me. (Remember that as you move through your day. You never know who you’ll be teaching a positive lesson to.)
I was zooming around Reno, zipping in front of any car slow enough to leave just enough space, weaving my way through traffic on my way somewhere Very Important, maybe trying to get to a movie on time. Someone was in front of me at a red light. It went on forever. Finally it turned green, and when the car in front of me didn’t lurch forward immediately, I honked. Bee-beeeeeep!
The guy rolled his window down and as his car moved forward through the green light he flashed me a peace sign.
It was an instantaneous moment of awakening. A moment of shame and grace rolled together. I felt so grateful to him for not returning impatience with impatience. It was the coolest thing I’d experienced.
What he did is a hard thing to do.
I know because it’s what I’m trying to remember now, while everyone is just about two and a half degrees off, anxious, short tempered, and sometimes even downright mean.
Last week, my son was visiting and I wanted to buy a special dessert at the local bakery. They were following strict protocols — only one masked person allowed in there at a time. There was no line but someone was in there, so I waited outside until it was my turn. I went in, found what I was looking for, and Elena texted me to get extra stuff, which I did. Now I had two big boxes in my arms as I left.
I pushed the door open with my back and completed my exit carrying all the bakery booty successfully to my car. Just as the door started closing because I was no longer attached to it with my back, a tall middle-aged man waiting to get in muttered, “You’re not gonna hold the door?” I thought he was joking. He was not. My initial reaction was the impulse to yell, “WITH WHAT, EXACTLY?” But…
