Whew. I've been meaning to get on here for the last week. It was even on my to do list last weekend. Clearly that didn't happen! Life has been a little crazy as of late, primarily because of work. I was at all four of my schools within the last week, coordinated a professional development workshop, am conducting two professional development workshops this week, and am traveling up to Pitt-Bradford to work with student teachers for three days in between. Whew.
Which is why my encounter at the grocery store yesterday really made me stop and think. Jake and I had been invited to a neighbor's for an early Thanksgiving dinner, and I was running to pick up last minute supplies at the Giant Eagle Market District in Shadyside. Now, if you've ever been there, you know that it's madness whenever you go there, be it 7 am, 2 pm, or 10 pm. So many people! I go in and by the end I literally had 4 things in my hand: a can of butter beans, a can of baked beans, bacon (all of these for Calico beans, or 3-bean hotdish--delicious!), and some pumpkin eggnog. The last item was a splurge, but it's become something of a tradition for Jake and I to get around this time of year. I walk up to the self-checkout lanes. The express lanes are of course long and filled with people who have 12 or MORE items. Read the signs people! But right next to it was a gentleman who had about 6 items in his cart, and an older lady who didn't have that much. I took my chances and figured that they'd be done before the express lane.
Then, much to my surprise, the older lady turns around, sees what I have in my arms, and says, "You don't have that many things. Would you like to go in front of me?" I stood there astonished for a moment, mouth gaping open. I at first was going to politely decline until I remembered that I did in fact have to go home and immediately start making things for the dinner. I replied, "That is so nice of you! Yes, if you wouldn't mind." Then, to my even greater surprise, she turns to the guy behind me, who also had 4 items, and said, "You don't have many things either. Go on ahead in front of me." Who does that nowadays???
And it just got me thinking about common sense kindness. She could've been wrapped up in her own little world, not noticing anyone around her. She could've not even cared in the slightest how she might hold other people up. But she didn't. She used common sense, a little mathematical reasoning, and deduced that the few extra minutes she would spend there were worth having people not have to wait for her (and her half-full cart). I've seen people with carts brimming and overflowing with goods not bat an eye when you have a minuscule basket behind them. But I was able to walk out of Giant Eagle with a huge grin on my face when normally I leave scowling and cursing the masses of people.
So, I'm going to try to take this approach more often when I'm dealing with strangers and friends alike. When it makes common sense, show a little kindness. It's really not that hard. And you might just make someone's day.
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