It’s this time of year when a lot of us reflect on what is truly important in our lives, and try to figure out how we can bring happiness to others. When you get right down to it… I think that family and friends are “what’s important” and happiness revolves around them. This doesn’t mean that the people in our lives have to be close to us… If we don’t have family members, we can make an effort to befriend people. And, if that doesn’t work, then we can simply be kind to others… even if they are strangers.
Are we really in a society that is moving so fast that we can’t take the time to be polite and treat others with the dignity that everyone deserves? Are we in such a hurry that we don’t have the time to be kind to others, so much so that we appear to be ill-tempered and impatient with the people around us? NO!
After reflecting on my previous year’s actions I usually come up with a plan… to be kinder to others and to empathize more with the people around me. Of course, as the year rolls on, I sometimes find myself falling back into some of the patterns that I try to change… Perhaps I get a little impatient to someone who is supposed to be a knowledgeable employee somewhere, who happens to know even less than I do about his/her field of expertise. Or, perhaps I “testily” tell a telephone solicitor to take me off of his/her calling list (since I am on the federal do-not-call list!) and after saying a very fast “thanks” I hang up on him/her. Or, perhaps I get impatient with our fifteen year old very loyal dog.
Anyway, at least for the next week (or even month!) I plan to be on my best behavior and will definitely try to be a better person for (and to) the people who I encounter every day…
