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| Thursday, February 04, 2010 |
| Peace, Love, and Kindness to each other... no I haven't been smoking anything. |
Today, while I was in the bank, listening to their horrendous elevator music and waiting in line.. I had an epiphany. Well. Not so much as an epiphany, but a realization. There were only two tellers, and the line quickly formed through the lobby. Its a smaller branch, and so I was surprised that so many people had converged all at once. I was third in line, but had waited for around ten minutes in total. The two tellers, one on the phone helping a customer, the other busily dealing with another upset customer, were seemingly swamped. There were customers at each of the specialty banking desks, the bank manager trying to sort out a mess or two with them. Behind me a man stood reading an article from a finance magazine he plucked off a table when he arrived, which was five short minutes after I had. Concluding his business with the specialty banker, the manager, half ran to his office, apologizing to the horde of people in the lobby for the wait. The man behind me snidely remarks,"Well, then lets us DO something about it, shall we?" I had a sudden rush of annoyance with this impatient man. The bank manager took up a station, and began completing transactions with great vigor. I was up to the window in seconds. The teller caring for me blushed and apologized for the 'long wait'. I laughed heartily and half turned, "It really, REALLY wasn't that long. You are doing a fantastic job!" . We conducted our business in a matter of moments, the teller was quick and efficient with his duties, and I was impressed. When I turned to leave, I came eye to eye with snide man jackassery... he half snorted as he rushed the teller window. And then it dawned on me. Like a light shining from an ultraviolet bulb... people are too rushed these days, so rushed that they unwittingly, or perhaps very wittingly trample other people because of their sense of self importance.
Recently I have been involved in a battle of sorts, with some people that have the art of jackassery down to a perfected T. Obtusely, they argue their 'side' of things, never really stopping to realize the kind of hurt, and hypocrasy they are spouting. It is important that when accusing one person or another of atrocities, or unatoned sin, that you check your own moral code... to be sure you aren't guilty of commiting those atrocities against the very person being accused. Life is hard. There is nothing in it that is certain or guaranteed.. except perhaps that it will eventually end. People experience a multitude of different things. Maybe the manager of the bank was having a really hard day. Maybe he woke up late, stepped in dog pooh from the neighbor's dog on the way to his car, and walked into work to find two of his employees called in sick with the flu. Maybe the people shouting about the boulders I have dealt with in my life are blissfully unaware of the hurt they are imposing. Maybe not. Maybe they want to inflict pain. Then again, maybe they are having growing pains. Maybe they woke up one day, realized they hadn't chosen to actively participate in their responsibilities of this life, and needed someone to point the finger at.
The point is, that it really doesn't matter. It isn't necessary to be a jackass to someone else, because you perceive in one way or another that that person is your mortal enemy for causing a moment or even a lifetime of uncomfortable grief. There isn't any satisfaction in entering into battle with someone, or imposing yourself on someone for your own gain. How hard is it to just say, "yes, there was a bit of a wait, but its okay.. because I was able to read a really great article in this magazine I found in your lobby." How hard is it to say," yes, I have chosen to negate my obligations in this life, and I am sorry, I would like to rectify that now." Then actively prove that the statement made is true by DOING it.
I don't mean to sound preachy. I have been guilty a time or two of being ugly, of saying brash and rude things to people because I felt they had wronged me in some way or another. I just feel... well, okay, its going to sound ultra cheesy, but this verse has been rolling in my head for days, "Let us all speak kind words to each other..." I feel better when I respond to something I don't like in a positive way. When I open the proverbial can of worms to negativity, I feel like ... shit. For hours I feel bad. For days sometimes. Its worse when I am 'mean' to someone I don't know.. and for what? Because I had to stand in line? There are definately worse things out there. You cause someone to feel bad, and that ripples on through the people in that person's life, then in turn ripples to all the people in the lives of the people in the original person's life... and so on. Pretty soon, a whole community of people are infected by your negative vibe. Lets pass some kindness around. Lets have patience for one another. Everyone has a responsibility in this world... some of that responsibility should be to one another.
*sigh*
Now that THAT is out of my system, I'm going to go lie in a giant field of daisies, and dream of world peace. ;) Love to all. |
posted by katmandusuekookachoo @ 2:54 PM  |
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