I pulled up to a four-way stop the other day. I arrived at the stop sign about the time a vehicle to my left came to a stop as well. I looked at the lady behind the wheel, and I motioned her to go ahead. Not a big deal, really. But then the lady did something as she progressed through the intersection. She waved — a simple gesture to thank me for letting her go first. I waved back and proceeded through the intersection.
While that simple wave of that stranger’s hand wasn’t monumental, it did make me smile. And now, a couple weeks later, I still remember the gesture. Funny how something so little, so simple, stuck with me.
You’re probably thinking ... “Wow, it doesn’t take much to impress her!” While that statement is true, I think the reason that wave of a hand hit me ... and stayed with me ... is that it doesn’t happen very often anymore.
A wave of a hand, allowing someone to go ahead — whether at the stop sign or in line at the grocery, a handwritten thank you note, a telephone to call to just say hi and that you’re thinking of someone ... I could go on and on. Sadly, I see those kind gestures disappearing from our lives. That’s troubling, to say the least.
I know we all live in difficult times. We’d probably be hard-pressed to actually find someone who isn’t fighting some kind of a battle in their own lives. That fact alone probably contributes to the idea of those little things like a wave of the hand or a phone call being kicked to the curb. However, I contend those battles are why we need to embrace — actually hold on for dear life — to those little things that speak simply of just being nice.
A wave of the hand when someone lets you go first at an intersection, someone lets you back out of a parking space, someone slows down and lets you cross the street in front of their vehicle ... well, it used to be an automatic gesture. You wave to the person to say thanks. Unfortunately, I seldom see that happening nowadays. I’m not sure why.
Why do you think? Do we just expect people to be kind? Do we not feel the need to acknowledge kindness anymore? Are we so caught up in our own worlds that a gesture of kindness doesn’t deserve at least a wave of our hand? Come on. How difficult could it be? You raise your arm and wave.
I get aggravated sometimes when I make the effort to be kind to a stranger, and it’s not acknowledged. It shouldn’t make me so crazy. After all, I was taught many, many years ago to be kind, and to do so without any expectations attached. For some reason, though, a person’s inability to just utter a simple “Thanks” ... well, it just bothers me. I guess I need to get over it.
I don’t really know what kind of point I’m trying to make here ... perhaps I’m just rambling to anyone who might listen (or read) today. This isn’t really that big of a deal ... which is why I think it gets under my skin so badly. Many times, we can’t do anything about the big things ... maybe that’s why those little things mean so much to me.
I know ... I know ... I know ... I’ve been told I’m a dreamer more times than I can count, which translates to I’m never going to make the world a kinder place with my weekly rant on Page 2 of the BCR. I know that. But still there’s that part of me that wants to try.
I just shouldn’t be so difficult to be kind. I wonder what would happen if we all tried a bit harder every day to do so. The results could surprise us ...
Tonica News Editor Terri Simon can be reached at tsimon@tonicanews.com.