Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, healthy or ill, adult or child, it COSTS YOU NOTHING to be kind.
Yesterday, I witnessed how people CHOOSE to be unhappy and attempt to poison another person’s spirit. I was at a local hardware retail store in a very upscale neighborhood. The sales clerk has the most beautiful and infectious smile along with her attitude. A female customer was complaining that the self-checkout was not open, which would have made it easier for her to get purchases done. The sales clerk continued smiling, greeted the angry customer with pleasantries, and completed her sales in a quick manner.
Although the customer was greeted pleasantly, with absolute professionalism, and prompt service, she continued to spew angry sentiments. When the sales clerk wished her a wonderful afternoon, I was floored by the customer’s response: “Oh, you’re STILL smiling? That’s why I don’t like you!” and stormed out of the store.
I could tell the sales clerk was hurt by the customer’s behavior and last statement. Honestly, she was devastated. When it was my turn, I greeted her with a huge smile and told her to NOT take ownership of that woman’s bitterness. Just because she CHOSE bitterness and was inviting the sales clerk to the bitter-party, didn’t mean the sales clerk had to accept the invitation. The sales clerk told me she had stepped up to help the other sales clerks because the lines had become quite long. I could tell the sales clerk had not felt appreciated by the many wealthy customers who shopped at this hardware store.
We choose happiness or bitterness. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, healthy or ill, adult or child, it COSTS YOU NOTHING to be kind. However, it costs you EVERYTHING to be UNKIND: your soul, your spirit, and most of all your HAPPINESS. Therefore, I encourage each of you today to CHOOSE happiness. It’s FREE and the rewards are INFINITE!
Clarissa, you have a beautiful spirit. I’m glad you offered words of encouragement and understanding to the clerk.You wonder where the kind people in the world are hiding sometimes. Good people grow tired of being taken advantage of. Eventually they stop going out their way to be kind. I believe you stopped the ripple affect of someone else turning bitter.
Hi, Voncille:
First, thank you so much for visiting my website, my writing refuge. As for the miserable customer but the beautiful soul who continued to be kind, I learned a valuable lesson that day: to love in spite of another person’s unhappiness.