A case in
point for the effortless would be my grandparents. My grandpa has passed away but my grandmother
is thankfully still with us. The two of
them together could crush you with their extreme thoughtfulness and
caring. A visit with them could make you
feel like the most important person in the world because they would give you
their undivided attention and in no uncertain terms would show you how happy
they were just to visit with you. They
weren’t like that with just family; it was with anyone they came in contact
with. Both of them never failed to wake
up on the right side of the bed and show their love for life and for people.
When it
comes to examples of those who find it difficult to be nice, I will leave those
to your imagination, as I’m sure you have your own first-hand knowledge of how
mean some people can be. The saying, ‘mean
people suck’ are three words that say it all.
My reason
for commenting on this subject is because I’ve come to realize that, regardless
of whether people are nice or mean towards others, there are many people who don’t expect others to be nice to them.
Where I work,
I take phone calls from clients who are most likely going through one of the
most difficult times in their lives. They
have been arrested, jailed, are heading towards trial and possibly prison. For some, it is their first offense and the
process completely frightens them but for others, they do not seem to learn
from past mistakes and continue to get into trouble. I make no judgments against them. I have no reason to treat them with anything
but a pleasant attitude and I expect them to return the same to me.
So when I
began to hear comments from some of the clients, telling me thank you for being
so nice, thank you for taking the time, thank you for helping me…it made me
realize that many of them did not expect me to treat them decently. That’s a sad thought. They based their expectations of my attitude
towards them on the fact that their title is now “defendant” and they feel one
rung lower on the ladder of decency and respect. At this point in their life, they cannot see
the bright side of anything, only the bleak possibilities before them.
I may not be
able to make them believe there is a bright side to anything at this point in
their lives but I can at least make every attempt to show them there are still
people who will respond to them positively rather than negatively. If I were in their shoes, I would hope for
exactly the same treatment.
Another
reason for this post is due to my husband’s new job where he currently has
daily contact with elderly and disabled people.
Each person he has contact with has their own unique story and they are
kind and interesting people. They are only
different from others due to their advanced age or disabilities, whether from
birth defects or an accident later in life.
Most have thoughts and dreams like any one of us and if they are limited,
it is due to no fault of their own.
My husband’s
new job has had many positive effects. The
job has placed my husband, a completely kind person, in the path of so many who
only wish to be treated like everyone else.
My husband gives them the respect he would only wish to receive in
return. What my husband receives from
them is heartfelt appreciation for his kindness and a job which gives him great
satisfaction. 
Being kind
goes a long way and can brighten anyone’s day.
We should always offer it, regardless of what side of the bed we wake on,
and others should always expect it, regardless of their circumstances. Whether you get up on the right side of the
bed or look at the bright side of things, if you combine those efforts you will
hit the day running with a positive attitude towards the day and towards
others. 
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