Do To Others. . .

The infernal internal clock went off again too early. Don’t know what it is that causes the body to wake at 2:30 am but it’s getting old very quickly. No sense just lying there. There is always something to do and something to learn. After getting up, the computer had been on for two hours when I decided it was time to go to the gym. It was one hour of stepping and upper body work out, and saying hi to all the regulars.

The newspaper was waiting for me when I arrived home as well as the weekly flyers. These presented the next task. Looked to see what’s on sale that we would normally buy and get to the store before everyone else gets up. It’s now almost 5 hours since the internal infernal clock went off and I could feel myself starting to slow a little.

Into the store, and walking around grabbed everything on the list and then some. I know I shouldn’t buy chips and dip and . . . but I thought I needed a treat. Or two. I was pleased with myself to be not only up and out but to be so organized as to have completed five tasks before the clock struck eight.

Something renewed my energy as I stepped out of the store into the refreshing morning air. I smiled at the man who was getting the buggies ready for the day. He was taking the paper and garbage left by other shoppers the night before from the buggies and then putting the carts one in the other like they were designed for. He smiled and said hi. Around the corner of the building, bags in the boot and back with the cart to gentleman with the bag of garbage. I pushed the cart into place at the end of the line of other ones.

With a broad smile he turned to me and said, “Thank you so much for bringing the cart back. I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful day today.” I returned the conversation with, you’re very welcome etc and smiled as I left him to continue in his morning duties, and I mine. Didn’t realize how much a very small act of kindness could mean so much.

I thought about him and the buggies on the way home and the verse came to me, “Do to others. . .” That’s the thing. We say we do but do we? I want you to think: "If I was that person, what would I like someone to do for me?" I want to encourage everyone, in every situation to think to yourself, “How can I make this other person’s life a little easier?” The clerk at the till? Pack your own groceries? The person at the drive through window, the gentleman who spends too much time out gathering buggies that we leave anywhere and everywhere out in the hot summer sun. You can come up with all kinds of others. By the way, the mistake you find with the item you are returning, probably isn’t the fault of the person you are yelling at.

Maybe this is one of those verses, Luke 6:31, that we should remember daily just as we do, John 3:16.

Something to think about

Rob