On the day before Thanksgiving, I was in the grocery shop. The checkout lines were lengthy and the store was crowded, as you can guess. A man with one item in his cart walked by me as I was waiting in line. He left his cart where he was, saw the queue, mumbled an expletive, and gave the only item to a worker.
Was the customer too rude? It’s not as though he made fun of the worker for standing in line or made him feel inferior as a result. Things could have gone worse. It also had the potential to be much better.
Some people claim that generosity comes free of charge. From a financial standpoint, it may be free, but when money isn’t involved, it’s anything but. Being kind can frequently need more time and effort from your day. Baking a cake for a loved one, driving a friend to pick up a car out of state, or helping them move into a new apartment. All of these are deeds of compassion, and many of us perform them every day, every week, or every month.
How much work would it have required for the man to put the item back and bring the cart back on his own, using the example from the opening? Not much, but he decided to take the easiest route. His actions were determined by his frustration. It’s unclear to me how the employee allowed this to affect his day. He had two options: either he would feel betrayed and take it out on the next person he saw, or he would choose to be kind when given the chance to assist others.
For some folks, kindness comes naturally. The phrase “he/she is an angel walking among us” is probably familiar to you. This would characterize someone who regularly goes above and beyond to assist others. It’s a calling that is either ingrained in them by their desire to serve others or their faith in God. Whatever it is, they are naturally extremely generous. For the rest of us, it isn’t always the case.
For example. You are eager for a restful weekend since it is Friday night. Your plans include binge-watching the newest Netflix series while lounging on the couch. You feel like spending time with your dog alone because you’ve had a difficult week. The phone then rings. In the morning, your best friend asks you to assist him in taking his dryer and washer to the dump. This is the exact opposite of what you planned or anticipated doing during your leisurely weekend.
You have three options in this situation: provide assistance, fabricate a lie to avoid it, or decline completely because you don’t want to. If you choose with the latter option, you probably won’t have a logbook of friends to turn to when you need a favor. Helping or lying or making an excuse are your only viable options. It is never a good idea to lie. In the end, you’re left with friendliness and assistance.
It makes sense to concentrate on the negative aspects of things, but we also have the option to concentrate on the positive aspects. Your friend would not have been able to complete the work without your assistance. Since that friend sought you for assistance, you were probably trustworthy, dependable, or even kind in the first place. You could decide to see it as a privilege instead of a burden.
There are many opportunities to choose kindness throughout the holidays. This goes beyond simply donating your funds to the charity of your choosing. Of course, charitable causes are admirable, but you can also choose random deeds of kindness. Any potential costs are greatly outweighed by the sense of accomplishment you get from helping.
Now that we know that doing nice deeds is a wonderful thing, what are you going to do on Friday night? I’m in need of assistance hanging my Christmas lights.
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