I learned the swiping trick from Sherry
It doesn’t take much to change one corner of the world or one moment of a day. And, that’s a start. Here are three ways to make a difference today.
Smile
My friend, Cora, and I went out for ice cream recently. As we stepped into the shop, we were talking about how friendly everyone is in our city. Then, we laughed and said, “Just watch. The person behind the counter here will be a grouch.” Sure enough. The girl actually growled at us and never made eye contact. She got our order wrong, too.
But, Cora and I had already determined to win her over with kindness. So, we smiled. We asked about her day. And we smiled some more when we told her not to worry about getting our order wrong. Cora and I spent two hours in the almost-empty store. We chatted, munched, smiled, and laughed. By the time we left, the counter girl was smiling with us. She even came over and cleared trash from our table. I’m determined to smile more.
Swipe
Not on your phone. I learned this swiping habit from my friend, Sherry, when she taught a class on hospitality. Any time I’m in a public bathroom, I try to dry my hands with paper towels. Before I toss them, I make a couple of swipes across the counter to dry splashes left by me and by other people. This little task is no big deal in the ladies bathroom at church. It is a bit more challenging at Walmart or at gas station pit stops. I do it anyway. No one will ever know, of course. But, it makes me smile to think of the next person using the facilities without facing a wet countertop. Thanks, Sherry.
Forget
Forgiving is sometimes easier than forgetting. We aren’t God. Our memories do come to the surface often and trap us in bad memories. But, holding a grudge does terrible stuff to our minds, our souls, and even our bodies. The stress of it can actually make us sick. For the sake of our lives and the lives of everyone around us, let’s forgive and forget the wrongs we’ve suffered. (Disclaimer: we can forgive and forget without restoring a relationship. Please step away from anything unhealthy or abusive.)
My hubs and I heard a fictional character say this phrase years ago, and we try to live by it. “Yesterday is another country, and the borders are closed.”
That’s it. Three little things we can all do to make our world a better place. Want to add something to the list?