By Victor S. Sierpina, MD
“Just because you are happy it does not mean that the day is perfect but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.”. -Bob Marley
The other day, picking up groceries at the Walmart, I recognized a struggle inside myself, to be more kind, understanding, and compassionate instead of feeling irritated, judgmental, angry. It was just a little thing really, but it became a metaphysical and spiritual breakthrough.
Walmart and other stores, in order to improve social distancing, have placed arrows on the floor making the shopping lanes one way. This prevents too many people shouldering past each other in close proximity. It is a simple but great idea.
However, as you might guess, many a shopper either didn’t notice or ignored the one-way aisle markers.
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So here was my breakthrough. After a few gentle hand signals, belying how irritated I felt at those unmasked and careless people heading my way, I recognized it was me who was heading in the wrong direction.
The errant teenager, who I later saw with his momma, was clearly intellectually challenged. The man standing by the freezer section who consistently was “wrong-way Corrigan” might just have something else on his mind. Perhaps he, like many of us, had lost a loved one, a job, or was sick himself.
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We can never know what people are suffering with, the depths of their pain, the troubles they have. Now, more than ever, with the world turned upside down for so many, it is essential that we reach inward for our shared humanity, to the niceties of social politeness, courtesy when driving, neighborly waves, opening a door, helping with a heavy load. Remember to smile through our masks as the eyes show the smile, even if the mouth isn’t visible according to a photographer friend.
It may not seem like much but doing tiny acts of kindness the best we can, will warm us and those around us in times of challenge and turmoil. These are things that we aren’t required to do and may not benefit us directly, but really cost nothing.
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Decide then to be a source of peace and caring, an island of calm even though you may be personally worried about family, finances, health, work, the future. Be the source of kindness for others who may need it desperately.
“When you feel a peaceful joy, that’s when you are near truth.” -Rumi