Be The Reason
Don’t Be Silly, Pigs Can’t Fly
Recently, Judy and I spent the weekend in Ruidoso celebrating our 50-plus wedding anniversary. This three-day fling was a far bigger self-indulgence than usual. As mentioned in “Are We There Yet – Part 1,” we have been loosening the purse strings just a wee bit. Basically, embracing a slightly less frugal lifestyle.
I cannot wait to see what wild and impulsive thing comes our way next. Who knows, I might even take Judy dancing for her birthday. Similarly, pigs will rise from their mud bath and fly high overhead. Concurrently, I will look like the boyish young man I was, fresh out of high school. Keeping an open mind, all of the above could happen. That said, I doubt Judy is putting on her dancing shoes.
While wandering about one of the many curio shops on Sudderth Drive, I happened upon a revolving rack. A rack containing whimsical, thought-provoking signs suitable for framing. Two signs in particular caught my eye, or should I say caught my eyes?
First one read, “Sometimes I wrestle with my demons – Sometimes we just snuggle.” Second one, in all bold caps read, “BE THE REASON SOMEONE HAS A BETTER DAY.” While I definitely wrestle with my demons, I can’t recall a time when we have ever been snuggle buddies. Actually, that sounds kinda creepy, in a creepy kind of way.
A Sister Unlike Any Other
Within an instant and a half, a story regarding the second sign came streaming in HD into my subconscious mind. As we made our way back to our motel room, the framework for this story was well underway. Later that night, I arose to jot down additional thoughts that were swimming about.
I know all too well that if they aren’t put to paper soon, come morning, they are gone. Tragically, sometimes, come morning, I discover that I cannot read the previous night’s scribblings. Sometimes, come morning, the scribblings are legible, but the scribblings lost their meaning. (Just one of many writers’ curses, they plague us all.)
The first person who came to mind (in addition to Judy, of course) is my sister. Sis is routinely the reason I have a better day. The fact is, she is the reason any number of people have a better day. Not sure how our sister exited our childhood so much differently than my brother and me did. But she did. Perhaps because she was a girl. Maybe it was because she was the middle child. Then again, perhaps it was simply because she is her own person. Anyway, we are very different, my sister and I. Then again, we are very definitely siblings.
Lifting Spirits and Warming Hearts
The next two people who came to mind, just as quickly, are two twenty-something waitresses. One each from our two favorite local eateries. One is a single mom raising a daughter, the other a recent college graduate.
Their interaction has never been about getting a bigger tip, nor has it ever been simply cheap, small talk. These two beautiful spirits always warm my heart and fill my soul with promise. I hope I am lucky enough to watch them grow a few years longer. To watch them reach for the stars, to watch them live their dreams.
I routinely insist that I am socially challenged. That I am the happiest when left alone somewhere to watch cat videos. I suspect that those who know me well know that that simply is not true. As the experts proclaim, woven into all of our DNA is the need for human connection.
You might think that you could live a life of solitude, as I sometimes think I could. But the fact of the matter is, you cannot. Even I will babble nonstop like a three-year-old when someone enters the room. To those of you who might think that a moment of your time might be insignificant, I beg to differ. To someone else, a moment of your time might be life-altering. Trust me, I speak from experience.
One particular attribute that never ceases to amaze me is her always weaving a compliment into the conversation. Be it a conversation with a family member, a conversation with a friend, or a conversation with a stranger. I have often said that she makes me better. And she does, she really does.
A Smile or a Similar Small Gesture
Along about here, I did one of my all-too-frequent Google searches. Not surprisingly, the human connection is a subject for which much has been said and much has been written. Along about here, it would have been easy to start down another one of my infamous rabbit holes. A rabbit hole that most certainly would have taken me well beyond the original scope of this story. That said, Google does indeed have much to say about the power of a smile or a similar small gesture.
Looking back upon our formative years, it’s obvious. A smile or a similar small gesture from mom or dad could have been life-altering. Even the now-popularized fist bump would have worked just as well. Fortunately, I can recall many smiles and similar small gestures. They did indeed put a smile on my face and most definitely a spring in my step.
Maybe you are very much like my sister. Perhaps you are very much like our aforementioned very special friends. Similarly, you might be very much like me. (Perish the thought.) In the final analysis, it really doesn’t matter. Just as long as you take the time to BE THE REASON SOMEONE HAS A BETTER DAY. Try your best. I promise I’ll try my best as well.