Hey there, hope this October 9th (happy 10th birthday Bud, my little baby) finds you well.
I've been waiting for some profound topic to gnaw at my brain so terribly that I must ponder, wrestle, and finally defeat it and turn it to debut blog-form, but...no luck (I'm really not surprised). So, I figured if I don't start now, when will I?
Erin came to visit me in Athens a few weeks ago. Among other things, we hashed out the pro's and con's of my big school (OU) vs. her small school (Wittenberg). This conversation always brings an interesting point to my attention. One of my favorite things about a big school can also be one of the things I like the least, that is, nobody knows me! This is great when I: have lots to do, have somewhere to be, don't feel like talking to anyone, am content to listen to myself think, am late for class, need to get work done, it's just one of those days, don't feel like being nice (hehe), etc., etc. This is not so great when I: just want to be friendly! I should say, not knowing the majority of people on campus makes it easy to just look after yourself, which is not so great.
Last week I ventured up north to 43920 for a few days. Mom and I were stuck in Pittsburgh traffic and a guy was walking up and down the lanes selling flowers (they really were beautiful, but I had no need for said flowers). As we were in conversation, semi lost, hungry, and in a little bit of traffic, as we saw the man approaching, we subtly rolled the windows up a little and tried no to make eye contact *gasp!* How rude! Come on, I know you've done it before. It sounds horrible, but the reality is, that's probably what many of us would do. Our excuse: we didn't need flowers and didn't want to get his hopes up. Okay, so our reasoning was legit..but how about our actions? Not so great.
I got to thinking about this and brought it up a few minutes later. Now, anyone who knows my mom knows she is probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet - that puts her in the way above average category. Me, well I didn't quite get that gene, but I try hard and have good intentions, so we'll put me on the high side of average. So, between the two of us, we fall into the "nicer than average" category. I mentioned this to mom, adding that if that's all the better two "nicer than average" people can do, he must've had a pretty dismal afternoon. Maybe I didn't want any flowers, but I think I could've indicated that with a little more compassion. Like maybe a smile, and a "no, thank you." (For the record: inviting strangers over to your car is a little sketchy, especially if you're alone. If safety is a concern, be smart first and kind second.)
I've since then returned to the grind only to find myself slipping right back into the "look after yourself" routine, like most college kids (and adults!) - I mean after all, don't we have enough to worry about?? Thinking back to that day in Pittsburgh, though, makes me realize that I have so many opportunities to be kinder than average that I don't take advantage of. Things like holding the door for people in that awkward "technically, you're far enough away that I don't have to hold it..." situation. Or maybe striking up a conversation with the custodian that cleans your bathroom. How about giving a genuine smile to strangers that you pass on the sidewalk? Yes, these are all simple things that could easily be done without at a big place like OU, or even in a small town like EL. But frankly, I see no reason why we shouldn't be nice to each other, even if it does take a little extra effort. No matter what motivates us, we can't believe it's our responsibility to make the world a worse place. Au contraire, my friends. Let your little light shine, cause goodness knows, everybody needs a little kindness every now and then.
Challenge: be "nicer than average" in at least 3 encounters today.
P.S. Don't be fake about it! They'll know :)
Happy weekend, everyone!
