Never in my life, can I recall having such a pleasant unpleasant experience as I did a few summers ago while I was an exterminator.
It was around 9 a.m. while driving the bug truck on a rainy, summer day. I was late for a job and to make up some time I cut through a parking lot. As I came around the bend in the road, directly in front of me was an SUV. Unfortunately when I attempted to brake, I hydroplaned and tagged the SUV’s driver’s side rear door.
We both pulled into a side lot to survey the damage. I took a deep breath waiting for the inevitable, an encounter with the irate driver. To my surprise, he was polite and cordial. There was no finger-pointing, screaming, or swearing. At first we were both a bit tentative, but when I simply admitted it was my fault, the tension eased. We then took care of the red tape, shook hands, and went our separate ways.
People tend to show their true nature when things go wrong and they become inconvenienced. The driver of the SUV had every reason to be frustrated and angry, but if he was, it didn’t show. He demonstrated kindness and compassion. I only hope that I would display the same gracious character if the roles were reversed.
“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon
Swavel
Showing posts with label pleasant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pleasant. Show all posts
Monday, August 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Pleasant Aroma
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
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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