Be Kind… Look Up!

Have you noticed when you go out in public that it’s lonely? Now honestly, I am an introvert so there is a part of me that doesn’t mind everyone staying to themselves. But when it gets to the point of indifference and inconsiderate I think there’s a problem. Here’s what I mean.

I took my kids to get ice cream. As we were deciding on what flavors to get, the girl at the window gives an elderly man his rootbeer float along with the extra rootbeer in the can. I watched this man take careful baby steps to his car and thought, “how is he going to open the door without spilling?”. It was a busy day at the ice cream shop but no one else seemed to notice. I told my kids not to move and ran to get his door. Then I held his ice cream while he got into his car. He told me he was 90 and we talked while he got situated. My kids asked if I knew him. I told them I did not but I could see that he was going to need a little help. I told them we should always be aware of what is going on around us. I’ve talked to my kids before about being aware of what is going on around them to be safe but this was the first time I talked to them about being aware to be kind.

When I was a kid I was taught that when you are in public and meet someone’s gaze you say, “hello” to be polite. But I’ve noticed that people don’t often look up and they work to avoid others’ eyes. I make a point to smile and say hi and I teach my kids the same. This is the smallest kindness you can give someone; acknowledgement of their presence.

I was reading, “The Good Neighbor” about Fred Rogers’ life and I was inspired by the stories of his parents being aware and helping other people whenever they could. The whole family was aware of the people around them. Fred would tell his mother when he noticed a classmate who needed something His father told his wife about the needs of his employees’ families and she would do what they could to help them. Granted they had a lot of money and could help monetarily or on a grander scale but that doesn’t change the fact that they were aware of the people around them and they did what they could to help.

We are largely closed off as a society that we are completely unaware of the people and events going on around us. People are lonelier and more depressed than ever at a time when it is the easiest to connect with people. How is that possible??

So here is my challenge to you… look up when you are walking in public and meet the gaze of a stranger. Say hi or give them a compliment. Open the door for someone or help them if they are carrying something. These little things can be huge in a person’s life. I’ve helped an elderly woman across the road at the grocery store and we talked about shoes the whole, painstakingly slow, journey across the parking lot. When we got to her car she told me how much she enjoyed our walk. I held the door for a girl who was holding her full laundry basket, apartment keys, and bag full of detergent. She thanked me and told me she always struggles on laundry day. It doesn’t take much. I did not spend any money, just a tiny bit of my time and it made EVERYONE’S day a little better. Now, GO BE KIND!