By BECKY NELSON
I always get a chuckle when I read bloopers, where folks mean to say one thing and say something completely inappropriate instead. I don’t know if it is the possibility that it could be me suffering such an embarrassing moment or simply the funniness of the bloopers, but they always bring a laugh. I was the creator of a blooper on New Year’s Eve. I had waited in line for what seemed like an eternity to buy my New Year’s Eve scallops and baby bottle of bubbly, and those around me seemed almost as frustrated as I was. I had a headache, sore throat and my lungs were throbbing with whatever horrible chest cold I was enduring, and I just wanted to pay my dollars and head home.
I held up the line, instead, being one of those frustrating old ladies that always seem to be in front of you in line, digging for her change in her bottomless wallet or purse. I came up with my change, wished the cashier a Happy New Year and headed out, only to almost run into a much younger woman with a big cart of groceries. Her “excuse me” took me aback, as I was the one who would have bumped into her, because I hardly ever hear the courteous comments that were a mainstay of my youth, and because I was feeling lousy, tired and guilty for feeling a bit bah-humbug about the new year. Her beatific smile and heartfelt excuse me confused my cold-muddled brain. I smiled back at her and tried to say “certainly” or “sure” to respond to her “excuse me” and instead said “sewer” in the most heartfelt way possible.
I am still laughing at myself. I am also hoping that I said it softly enough or garbled enough that she didn’t notice my blooper, but in a way, I hope she, too, had a laugh about it. Either way, she was very kind and extremely courteous to this old gal, which made me happy. It is amazing how a little smile or a kind word can make someone a bit happier, even for a moment. I forgot my cold, forgot my fatigue, and had a chuckle and a warm feeling for the ride home, laughing at myself and enjoying her smile and kind word, and thinking it wasn’t going to be such a bad New Year’s Eve after all.
We just don’t know what sort of baggage the other person is carrying. I have a friend who has been struggling for months to recover from the headaches, confusion and pain of a bad concussion. You would never know of her struggle to look at her or talk to her, as she greets every day as a gift with a smile and a commitment to share her joy of life with everyone else. I have another friend who is struggling with numbness and pain in her legs and is facing back surgery — one of several — to relieve the symptoms that plague her every step. You would never know, as she greets each interaction with humor, laughter and a smile. Yet another girlfriend is enduring the pain and complications of pancreatic cancer, and after enduring countless surgeries, chemotherapies and ongoing palliative care to make her life more comfortable, is facing a round of radiation this month to hopefully prolong her life and give her a bit more time to enjoy her family and friends. You would never know of her struggles, as she faces her day with gratitude, appreciation, love and laughter, and is one of the most upbeat optimists I have ever met. Attitude is everything.
You just never know. That grumpy old man in line at the store probably carries a load of sorrow and hurt that you cannot imagine. That child acting out in class carries a struggle much beyond her years. Even that jokester and smiling office mate may hold secrets of pain and hardship. You just never know.
My New Year’s resolution is to try to keep a positive attitude at every turn and to be more kind and courteous. I wear a pin on my farm hat that says “Be Kind,” and it has become my unofficial mantra and watchphrase. I believe that a little bit of kindness goes a long, long way, and I pray to bring a little bit of hope and cheer to everyone I interact with in a day. I also plan to be more courteous. With a bit of patience or a bit of kindness with a smile, a polite comment, by holding a door or offering a shopping cart…these little acts of courtesy and kindness can bring a little sparkle of sunshine to someone suffering an unseen burden, pain, fear, injury to body, heart, mind or soul or an unseen illness. So, for 2020, I resolve to be just a little more kind, a little more courteous, and a little more careful of my words… sewer thing!
Becky is co-owner of Beaver Pond Farm in Newport, New Hampshire. [email protected].
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