Spread Kindness
Well here we are again with Christmas just a few days away. I personally cannot believe it. It feels like it was just the end of the holidays last year, and here we are almost across the finish line yet again. I know I probably sound like a broken record here! Because it is so close to the holiday I think it is safe to say a lot of people will be doing (and probably are at this moment doing) some last minute shopping. Whether it is a quick trip to the liquor store, grocery store, or convenience store for a last minute ingredient needed for Christmas dinner, or you are out doing all of your Christmas shopping. If you are that person... Godspeed! No matter your reason for it, and just in life in general, I want you to remember one thing, and that is to be kind.
I am going to start in what is likely an unexpected place here. I think especially this time of year it is important to remember the workers that are at all the stores during what is likeliest the busiest weekend of the year. I can promise if you hate being out shopping, that cashier you are complaining to hates it just as much, if not more. I used to work on Christmas Eve quite a bit at my first job at a grocery store. It was probably the most miserable day of the year to work other than around Thanksgiving time. People were all in there buying last minute things. That meant no matter how many cashiers were on, there were lines. Was is my fault the lines were backing up? Obviously not, but did I hear about it through the many complaints of the customers. You bet! I think it is fairly safe to assume that most of those workers are kids putting themselves through school, people working that as a second job, or people providing for their families. Give them a break. I can guarantee they don't want to be there cashing out your last minutes purchases any more than you want to be there buying them. Be kind and be patient.
That was a fairly specific example I felt the need to include here, but really this post I overall just wanted to talk about being kind to others, as you always should, but especially this time of year. If the person ringing the bell for the Salvation Army bucket smiles and wishes you a happy holidays, smile and say it back. Throw any pocket change you may have in there as well! Be patient with the cashiers I mentioned before and, despite the likelihood they are having a lousy day, say "you too" when they tell you to have a nice day. Hold the door open for the person behind you, and if someone holds it for you please say thank you! Small acts such as these can truly lead someone who may be having a bad day into maybe brightening their day, even if it is just slightly. It is literally free to be a nice person so there really is no excuse.
I am not telling you all to run out and just do a list of good deeds, what I am suggesting is to just be conscious. It is incredibly easy to let the pressure of the holidays get to you and there are plenty of places it is tested. Maybe it is in the parking lot and someone just took the spot you were heading for. I can personally say that enrages me. But instead of screaming out your window, just keep driving and looking for another spot. Maybe the lines at a store are incredibly long and you are annoyed by this. Keep in mind that the reason for those lines are for people, just as you are, out doing last minute shopping. Trust me I am not a saint. I let these things get to me too sometimes, but I think it is incredibly important to deal with them in a much kinder way, especially to the people that are there to help you, and if a cashier is working Christmas Eve, don't tell them it stinks they have to work on a holiday no matter how good your intentions. You are in the store so clearly there is a need for them to be there. That is likely going to just annoy them. Sure that is a good intention but speaking from first hand experience, that may be the one exception. 😉 Overall I just want to encourage you to be kind always, but especially this time of the year.
I wanted to take the rest of today's post to share my gratitude for all of you. Whether this is the very first post you've read on my page, or you are a long-term reader I appreciate you so much. As I have mentioned many times before I more so have this page as a hobby, so to see people enjoying my writing as much as I enjoy writing it is a lovely thing. My page has grown a bit this year and I have found that pretty endearing. I try to spread some kindness every week on this page to hopefully inspire someone to pay that forward. That is how we change the world isn't it? One act of kindness at a time? I look forward to keeping up my tradition of reflecting on the year with next week's post, but until then I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever it is you choose to celebrate!
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