:-) 
 

A Little Kindness

 

It seems you either love the store or you hate it – I come across both kinds of people. But I’m a lover. I like the prices, the selection and the fact that it’s pretty much one-stop shopping. From what I’ve seen, however, the employees at this particular location? If they’re not exactly haters they’re really, really dislikers!

I’ve never worked there, but I can imagine the folks who do don’t get a lot of positive reinforcement. Many seem to view their position as being of the dead-end variety. Then there are the customers, who can be a surly sort, taking any annoyances out on a convenient target - very often the cashiers. Cost too high for the bottle of detergent? Yell at the checker. Frying pan you purchased on your last visit only lasted a month? Snarl at the woman scanning your items. That’s how it often goes. I’ve witnessed it.

This morning I was in the 10-items-and-under line, behind a woman who must have been a child-left-behind, because she apparently couldn’t read the sign. On top of that, she wanted her order split into three separate ones – not difficult but I suppose rather annoying, too. I had been watching the sullen clerk for a while (as much as I like the store, getting in and out is never a quick proposition); she dealt with several folks and then came the Illiterate One. Madam Cashier was not having a good day. She was kind of grumpy, down at the mouth. I had been admiring her haircut and, though I didn’t know her from Adam (Eve, either!) I decided to let her know that when it was my turn.

“You have such a cute haircut,” I said to her. “And the color is very flattering, too.” My, my, my – night turned to day and storm clouds to sunshine. “Well, thank you,” she grinned at me. “Nice of you to say.” We proceeded to have a nice little, friendly conversation. She commented on the “Happy Birthday, Emily” cake I was buying. I remarked that I couldn’t believe Emily was turning 36, whereupon the employee said, “Well, you tell her that she’s a lucky girl.”

I can’t say that the few pleasant words I exchanged with this person changed her life. I can say that it changed it for a few minutes, and who knows after that? Eons ago Aesop said, “No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” A more modern day philosopher, Leo Buscaglia concurred, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb,sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24