Too Tired to Go the Extra Mile? How About Just an Extra Step?

Most days, I don’t see people, I see parts of people.  I see the torso behind the checkout counter at the grocery store, the arm coming out of the drive thru window, and the face in the drive up at the credit union.  It’s so easy to forget that you are interacting with a human being when you don’t really see them as a whole person, only a voice that asks if you want cheese on that, which shouldn’t even be a question, of course cheese…and bacon.  These interactions are plentiful, but they don’t really mean anything do they? 

I’ve been thinking a lot about how simple things I do each day can actually make a difference in both my life and the people that I come into contact with through my daily activities.  When you go into a store, and you are at the checkout, we all say “how are you,” to which the answer is usually “fine” but if you take it a small step forward and make eye contact and actually ask, “how is your day going?” you could change the course of a person’s day.  Suddenly they aren’t  just mindlessly doing their job, and you aren’t just going through the motions of being polite.  You have made a connection with another person and that simple act, that cost you nothing, may have made their day improve.

 It only takes simple acts, like donating your change to a cause like MUSC Change Bandits, wearing red on Fridays in February, or just texting a friend to say “Hey, you’re awesomeness personified“ to make a positive difference.  A few days ago, I saw an older couple waiting on a parking spot, and as I passed an empty spot much closer to the store, I got their attention and pointed at it.  Simple act, but they were excited about it and waved at me as they passed to go to the better parking space.  A co-worker of mine recently helped an elderly woman find her car in a crowded parking lot, with only the approximate color and license plate number, a simple act of kindness. 

The recent incident on the Ravenel Bridge reminded me that I don’t know what is going on in the lives of people around me.  I can never know exactly how much stress and pressure they are under, and they will never know that information about me.  I do truly believe that by taking a moment to have a genuine conversation with someone can help.  Once you have connected with someone, neither of you feel quite so alone in your troubles; even if those troubles were never discussed.  All it takes are simple acts, going the extra step.  You may feel too out of shape to do the extra mile, but you can always handle that extra step.