Often we honk the horn of our vehicle at the person in front of us, hoping they could move faster through the intersection, because we have somewhere very important to be. When we stand in line for our concessions, or a latte at the local coffeehouse; we often comment on how long the customer in front of us is taking, because we have somewhere very important to be. Similar, is the need for speed we have when driving on the interstate; speeding in excess to reach our destination, without enjoying the journey. It is in the journey that we can find the answers we have been searching. It is in the everyday occurrences that we can find a lesson that will help us along our journey, but we need to be awake to see it.
I went for a long walk through an urban downtown recently, and noted the number of people that often pass by on the sidewalk, whom never acknowledged my presence. As I walked along and nodded to the other pedestrians, I received no recognition in return. Often, the other person was connected to their cellular phone and incapable of recognizing others. I came to an intersection and saw an older woman, most likely in her 60′s, waiting to cross the street. I also noticed that none of the cars were stopping for the woman, making it impossible for her to continue on her journey. I turned to the woman and said, “Hi. Isn’t the weather absolutely amazing today?” The woman’s face immediately showed a magnificent smile and she replied, “Its beautiful.” Her smile was so grand and contagious, I felt as though I could be happy for the entirety of the day, no matter what life might throw at me. I then said to the woman, “I can’t believe the way people drive. You would think someone would have noticed that you needed to cross the street.” The woman smiled and said, “Since the invention of electronics, no one ever looks around them.” I laughed and returned the smile, as my cellular phone vibrated in my pocket.
That is when it hit me. We often are so busy with our lives, our schedules, our time; that we do not fully recognize the value of others. So I said to the woman, “You don’t know it, but you have made my day brighter. Now if you don’t mind, take my arm and I’ll help you cross the street; because today, I am looking around.” The woman smiled, took my arm, and we both stepped off the curb and stopped traffic. On the other side of the street the woman thanked me and we went about our own separate journeys.
As I continued my stroll, I began saying hello to everyone that I passed. Some looked up from their cellular phones, some continued to walk as though I had said nothing. But, some were like the elderly woman and showed a great big smile and replied. A simple “hello”, and someone’s day was now better.
A wonderful movie with a similar message, Pay It Forward; is an excellent example of the importance of the lessons we can learn from our everyday occurrences. I challenge you to make the most out of every situation, learning something new about yourself, or someone else. When in a long line, practice your patience, so that in time you become less agitated by the long waits. Savor the moments that you have to yourself, to think and perhaps converse positively with someone behind you in line. Lastly, remember that a cellular phone is device that you purchased, and it does not need you. Try to take a walk, drive your car, visit a coffee shop; but do not take your cellular phone. You never know, you might just learn a lesson or find the answer to something you have been searching for, but were never looking around.
