Monday, August 17, 2009

The Humanity

I think most of us in life have tried to do something nice for someone else at one time or another. I know I am one of those types of people that gets great joy in doing a good deed or saying a kind word. Has anyone else had it backfire on them?

To my surprise that is just what happened to me today. I saw an old friend the other day and thought that she looked so down and out...plain ol' depressed! I thought to myself 'you know you should do something for her.' After several days of thought I came up with the idea that I would buy the ingredients for a nice dinner and go to her house and prepare the meal and enjoy it with her. To my dismay I was so disappointed to find out that she thought I had alterior motives! Quite upsetting really.

Why are people so skeptical of someone trying to reach out to them? Is it because we have just become so hardened to the 'me first' society that we just assume everyone is out to get something only for themselves? Is it our prior experiences that has made mankind so unsure of a kind deed or being taken advantage of or perhaps that is the way we ourselves are that makes us that way? My conclusion is that it's likely a combination of both.

But what I want to say to anyone that reads this is: Pay it forward! If someone makes a kind gesture, just accept it for what it is and pay it forward. Seize the opportunity and let someone show kindness to you and gratefully accept it. Then take that kindness and make the opportunity for you to share it with someone else! It's the little things in life that make a big difference.

3 comments:

  1. I think that, basically, people judge others by what they'd do themselves and how they think.. not that they'd admit it most of the time, but how we react is usually "colored" by what we'd do. I find people judgmental, intolerant, single minded, cynical, and pessimistic to a great degree. Aunt -Gin

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  2. I've "paid it forward" so much my kindness account is deep in the red. That's ok, I just take out a bigger loan. Random acts of kindness are getting more scarce all the time and unfortunately people get suspicious when they see them. Just like "nice guys", it is rare. I for one have sent flowers to a girl I've never met. Taught a cutter to meditate when the pressure gets to great instead of picking up a knife. And I share my poems on myspace and my yearbook. Just remember, no matter how much you get shit on, just use it for fertilizer for the roses. ;)

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  3. Yes sir, All of the above is bang on! :-) Great post Amber. People are people. Do Not stop what you are doing. We can quite being nice and join them or we can be kind to most and enjoy the ones like you've mentioned, who do pick up on your kindness.

    I feel like Aunt Gin most times too. :-( I ride buses and people just do not even know how to "behave" or whatever, these days. Makes it all that much cooler though when I do run into someone who's brain functions in a more personal, non-robotic, open minded manner. :-) Keep on being the cool girl you are, the rewards are out there, as you know. ;-)

    Your new follower, LarryB

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Grand Lake Stream

Grand Lake Stream
I love this place!