You never know

When I was young my mom would always call me Mr. Magoo. This was because no matter where we were or what I was doing, walking, riding my bike, I payed attention to were I was going...oh ya never. My feet may have been moving forward, but I was almost certainly not looking in that direction. She would tell me to stop lolly gagging and pay attention before I ran into something or got lost (which I did with some frequency). I would tell her I was paying attention, and I was... to everything but where I was going. I like being aware of my surroundings. She thought I had my head in the clouds, and sometimes I did. I also like to stop and smell the roses. This comes with consequences, I'm still always bumping into things and getting lost. I can get lost anywhere, ask my boyfriend and he'll tell ya I get lost in the Maine Mall. If you're not familiar with it, its TINY!!

My point? Ahhh....yes there usually is one, but I like the scenic route remember.
The other day I was headed into the transplant clinic to have my blood tested for compatibility, and as I walked through the door (and yes, maybe I was looking, well... not forward) I bumped into someone as they were leaving. Though I smiled and apologized, they still seemed pissed. Were they, I don't know, but they could have said no problem, or its o.k.... right? Instead they kinda just grumbled something, then kept going. At first I was annoyed, I mean I hadn't done it intentionally. I did make eye contact, smiled said sorry and meant it.

Then I remembered where I was, and what door it was that I had just walked through. Truth is, this door isn't like most other doors, this door, is different. If your going through it, its likely because you or someone you know and love is not well. And while for right now, I feel I have a reason to be hopeful, others may not. I have no way of knowing what the person I bumped into heard behind these doors today. What they were thinking, and what they were feeling. But I did have the benefit of  knowing were they had just been, and that perspective made a lite flick on. Having this knowledge made it easy for me to understand their reaction at the door. Often, we don't have this benefit.

Now, since the smart phone explosion has enabled us to indulge our narcissism 24-7, it's easy to forget that we share this world with others. Gasp...its not all about me all the time! What I'm trying to get at here is this. The next time someone doesn't hold the door for you and it slams in your face. When you hold open a door for someone, and that someone doesn't seem all that thankful. Or when you receive any number of un-courteous gestures that seem just plain rude in the surface...try to remember, and I will too. We have no way of knowing what they may be going through, what's on their mind, or what kind of day they just had. It's no excuse, but we've all had bad days, and I'm pretty sure we've all been "that guy" before.

 So for this holiday season I'm asking each of you to put on that big toothy smile the next time you and "that guy" cross paths. Maybe they really are a huge D, and in that case nothing usually pisses them of more than someone being nice when they want to be an ass. Or... who knows, it might make a difference in their day. Maybe it will be just the thing to make them smile again too :)

Oh ya...one more thing. Try putting down that smart phone for a minute or two (after you read my blog of course). Stop and smell the roses, or heaven forbid take the long way home. You may like it!!