Kindness
How nice are you? How often do you say something nice to someone or do something nice for them? I’m not talking about your family; you should be nice to them all the time, but co-workers and people you come into contact with every day.
Think of the people I’m talking about. Are you the type who compliments them occasionally? I’m not talking kiss-ass obsequiousness, but rather something nice; just nice; nothing more and nothing less.
What about a surprise gift? A flower or a home baked cookie? You know how special it feels when someone does or says something nice to you.
We try to have national “Nice Days” such as Christmas and Valentines Day, but those are so insincere. Some people are especially nice around these days and bastards the rest of the time. Some people are nice when in public and not so in private.
Earlier this week I was thinking of my brother who died in a car crash in 1988. To his family he seemed to be The Man Who Wasn’t There. He guarded his feelings and never really let anyone in. While attending his funeral my family was surprised to see how many friends and co-workers came to pay their last respects. They were surprised to hear stories of how personable he was and how nice he was to everyone. It is really odd when people behave one way in public and another way in private. It was like attending a funeral for someone we didn’t even know. Though while he was alive he shared his kindness with others; in his death he surprised his family with a lottery-like insurance policy where his wife and daughters never had to work again if they choose not to.
Yes, this article is somewhat disjointed, ending up where I hadn’t intended it to go. Kindness and thoughtfulness is what I was thinking about. I would like to be remembered as kind and thoughtful when I eventually go. I wonder as a person if I am actually doing enough to deserve that honor.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 6:01 AM
6 Comments:
Is this a Sick Day in disguise?
I'm sick of nice.
I have always been nice.
Being nice means having to defend yourself often cause folks take you for a patsy.
Sometime I'll show you the stack of knives I've pulled out of my back.
Come to think about it; you have pulled a few of those knives out for me over the past...
NO MORE MR. NICE, GUY!
:-Q
Wow, you used to be nicer before you retired. Good thing you work alone now ; )
I am reminded of the quote "People will never remember what you said but they will always remember how you made them feel." I am having a real hard time suppressing the urge to follow this up by saying something really crass, vulgar or stupid here...now if only I can make it through two bouts of word verification...
It's good to see you are able to temper your statements, Moosehead.
My entire life I've been described as "sweet" and "nice." Considering my inner thoughts, I'm not too confortable with this description. But obviously, I come across this way. And perhaps that's because I do make a point of saying something nice about someone if the opportunity arises - which it does more often that you might think. It can't hurt and it always helps.
Your brother sounds like he was one special man.
We didn't find out how nice he was until he was gone. Sad but true.
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