Changing our ways

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

A yellow piece of paper was taped to the table of the hostess stand with this saying written on it. I quickly read this as I waited to be seated at my table of the restaurant.

I began to think. Amongst the other conversations going on I could not get this quote out of my head. I started to think about what this really meant in a deeper way and thought of how many times I, myself included, have witnessed others simply brush off someone else and even simply ignore him or her. We as human beings are trained to be our worst enemy. We are constantly quick to judge others and often times stereotype every person we encounter.

As we sat down and ordered our food, we overheard a lady a couple tables over making a scene and yelling at her waiter about how he had messed up her food order. Think about how many times we are constantly complaining or unsatisfied with something in our lives.  

Instead of yelling at someone or getting angry with someone, think of how much of a difference it would make to others and ourselves if we all made it an effort to be kind. This made me realize we are not always as compassionate to others as we should be.

One of my friends asked our waitress why they have that sign taped to the table when you walk in. She explained how they had a customer who had been coming in for years on a regular basis. Her house had recently burned down and she lost everything she owned. She had no clothes, no furniture, nothing. She had recently lost her husband and the only thing she had left was pictures of memories of them that she watched burn and turn into ashes. The day after her house had been completely destroyed in a burning fire she came into the restaurant as always with the same smile placed on her face as usual. 

As I heard this story I had a big lump in my throat. How many times a day do we complain about not having the latest new cell phone, clothes or TV?

If you have a chance to make someone’s day better even if you maybe aren’t having the best of days, why not do it? We are all guilty of being rude in some way or another to another person.

Next time you walk down the hall, smile to someone walking by. A simple little smile may make his or her day. Everyone feels betters if they have someone smiling at them and reminding them that they are special.

I am very grateful I saw that saying that day, and am constantly thinking about it. It has made me change my perception of how I look at people and realize how we cannot only better ourselves but everyone around us.