Most everyone is trying to find ways to deal with all the negativity that surrounds us on social media and the news these days. Some have turned off the news almost entirely. And who can blame them?
I confess I find myself numb at times. When the war in Ukraine begun, I was all eyes and ears to what was happening there. But after many months/years hearing about it, it seems like business as usual in our sad state of the world. It feels so far away and when it doesn’t impact on our daily life, it’s easy to turn it off.
But when things happen that affect us or the people we know/love, our minds and hearts pay attention. How many times do we hear people on TV say, “I never imagined this could happen in my town…” There was a time when I thought we were safe in the US from the ugliness of “war.” But then September 11, 2001. End of being naïve.
It was sad to hear about the damage done during Hurricane Katrine (New Orleans). But since I had no connections there, I didn’t have a lot of emotion as I watched updates on the news. When Hurricane Helene destroyed so much in Asheville, I sat up and paid a lot of attention. I read all I could on what was happening there after the storm. Why? I used to live there. I still have dear friends there. I saw places I used to visit. It was devastating to see the damage of that beautiful area I had come to love.
These days we not only hear about tragedies like fire, floods, and hurricanes but so many man-made “tragedies” that bombard our minds. Mass murders seem to happen more often—in small towns as well as big cities. And these days, we may see our values and beliefs being challenged or cancelled.
If you’re like me, you feel small and helpless. I faced the fact that there is nothing I can do can change the World (capital “W”), but I could do something to help my little corner of my world (small “w”). Granted, it doesn’t feel like a lot sometimes, but it is better than giving up and doing nothing.
Recently, I recognized something I had done quite naturally could be something I could do more often…One of my coworkers (I work part-time at Wegmans), had the best smile. Every time I saw her, my eyes went to that smile, and I thought how friendly and joyful she seemed to be. Instead of only thinking about it, one day I decided to tell her—I didn’t even know her name. And yes, she gave me that big smile and thanked me for telling her that.
Another time (again at Wegmans), we had a manager that had gone on to another job. Recently, she visited our store, and I decided to tell her that I missed her and thought she was one of the best managers I have ever had. Then I went on to tell her why (hint: her people skills). Her comment was,
“Thank you so much! You made my day—which wasn’t very good.”
From then on, I realized I was onto something. Instead of just thinking a compliment, I would reach out and tell someone… (being care not to get creepy—it must be sincere). I could make someone’s day a little nicer.
So, I challenge you to think about ways you can make a difference to make the part of our world a little better. What feels right to you? By taking a step, done with sincerity, I’m convinced these little acts of kindness can change our world.
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