Monday, December 13, 2004

Baby, it's cold outside!

47 degrees this morning, to be precise! A rare wintery treat for us sun-baked Floridians.

I love cold weather. I live for it all year long. It energizes me, refreshes me. I love to snuggle up under a big blanket to sleep. I love cuddling with EH's warm body. I love hot cocoa and hot buttered apple cider and chili. I love big jackets and seeing my breath in the air.

I've just finished reading The DaVinci Code. I finished it in just under 24 hours flat. It was awesome. I highly recommend it. It confirms so many things I was taught growing up and explains a few things I wondered about. It offers some mind-blowing theories that I would love to look into further.

I've had a bit of an epiphany regarding people. People are like little jigsaw puzzles, all made up of tiny pieces shaped and formed from experiences. To know a person, you must understand some of these pieces of them. It might be easy to dislike someone who seems unfriendly, but I've found that sometimes what appears as "aloof" is really insecure, sad, shy or even just quiet natures. Clearly not all experiences in life are good ones and you may run into a person who either has had extensive lousy experiences or who needs to have a few to better understand life.

There is a person who has been an adversary to me. Someone who hurt me once by default and then took great joy in inflicting any additional pain or aggravation possible. For months, I foolishly allowed it to irritate me. Last night, I realized this was no longer the case. I had not grown numb or dull from it, I had simply found myself feeling nothing more than disdain and pity for so pathetic a creature. In this way, an experience has shaped me to feel an ounce of compassion in much the same way Frodo looked upon Gollum. So, with the dust settled, do I still hurt or hate? No. I feel as if I have learned something and experienced a valuable time. I remember the hurt and I may feel an occasional pang or twinge - but in the end, it bettered my life and caused me to grow. For that, I can not hold a grudge.

That "epiphany" got me to thinking about how we treat others - even strangers. Nowadays, you have a better chance at encountering a rude person than not. We treat people like crap, frankly. And I don't want to be that person.

I am making a promise to myself that each day, I will show some kindness for others - strangers and those I know alike. I will do random acts of kindness. I will smile and greet strangers cheerfully. I won't lose my cool when I get cut off or trespassed on, but rather I will let it roll off my back as an insignificant thing.

I will try to grow another step. I will try to leave a positive mark on this world. I will try to leave things - people and places alike - just a little bit better than I found them, whether it's picking up litter I pass, doing something kind for someone, etc.

What kind of mark are you leaving? Are people (strangers included) better in any way for having crossed your path?

Posted by Red :: 9:41 AM :: | ---------------------------------------