On a normal work day I arrive early to make a pot of coffee. There is nothing quite like hearing the coffee maker percolate as the pleasant aroma drifts in my general direction. Nothing awakens me in the morning like a cup of Joe and exchanging pleasantries with others.
Every so often I stop by a store to get a cup of coffee. There is always a kind smile to greet me from a sweet elderly lady, who chats with me as if we were old friends. It never ceases to amaze me how much I look forward to her cheerful greeting. The odds are she isn’t making an exorbitant amount of money, yet she offers a pleasant aroma that even the seven varieties of coffee cannot.
Occasionally I order out for my family. When I arrive to pick up my order, I always wonder what’s on the other side of the door. Will the pizza dude behind the counter be carefree or cranky? In my experience, a lot of people are a product of what is going on around them. If things are unpleasant in their life or if they are having a bad day, it influences their outlook and they act irritable. So, despite his disposition I still go back because I like the food and maybe my pleasant aroma will rub off on him.
Perhaps, instead of focusing on other’s attitudes we should put more energy into creating a pleasant aroma. With that thought in mind we should remember George Eliot’s words, “Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.”
Swavel
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