Treat a stranger like a friend
March 9th, 2009 | Published in Quality of Life | 1 Comment
Here’s a novel concept: treat the random people you meet day in and day out like, well, real people.
Don’t objectify the girl behind the counter making your sandwich as just a sandwich maker. She has a life, relationships, hopes, hobbies and dreams. Treat her as such. She may be having a rough day. Say “please” and “thank you”. Not because you have to, but because that is how we talk to people we respect as human beings.
That’s just a simple picture of how you can treat a stranger nicely. You can hold the door open for the person walking in behind you. You can smile and make eye contact with the various people you come in contact with. If you’re feeling bold, say “hi” to the person who is sitting next to you in the waiting room. Who knows? That could be your next best friend, or your future spouse. Or it could just be one more life you brightened a day in.
Don’t limit yourself in treating people like people because you are rushed, or too busy. If all you do is smile at someone you interact with today, if only in passing, you have not exerted extra energy or wasted a single moment. In fact, you have only enriched the time that you did have.
Who have you smiled at today?
Photo cred: felix kirsch@flickr
**UPDATE** I ran across a great article that related to this topic – No More With Me. It’s a great read.
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March 13th, 2009at 7:49 pm(#)
Definitely. I remember when I was younger I used to just picture everyone who worked at McDonald’s or the grocery story as just people who only do that. Like they lived there or something…haha.
Those sandwich makers really are people, as I am living proof of. :)
(That story at the end was fascinating by the way!)