♪ What's wrong with the world, Mama?
People livin' like they ain't got no Mama's
...Instead of spreading love we spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found ♪
These lyrics are a little hauntingly close to home for me right now and here's why:
Every morning Monday thru Friday, I drive Peyton to preschool and walk him to his classroom.
Every day I pass another parent in the hall taking their child to school too.
I smile.
I say 'Good Morning!'
Peyton waves.
Chloe wiggles and giggles.
They stare back.
No smile.
No wave.
No hello.
Nearly every day I hold the door open for a different parent and their child {while still holding Chloe} on my way out the door.
No thank you.
No smile.
Nada. Nothing. Zilch.
Are you kidding me?!
Is it so hard to flash a smile for one nano-second? What are we teaching our kids?
Are we training the next generation to be selfish and self-centered?
That 'thank you' isn't something that need be said?
But unfortunately, it's not only parents that are the culprit here.
Today I went to Hobby Lobby to look for something to decorate my bare mantel over the fireplace. There was an employee in one aisle checking the SKU's on different items on her clipboard and she was pretty intent on her project. I scooted into the aisle with Chloe strapped into the BabyBjorn carrier and tried to look at some of the fleur de lis they had.
Now, maybe I was being selfish here; but I thought that maybe this lady might move down a few inches or so so that I could see what there was on the shelves opposite her. My back was turned to her as she continued fussing with things on the shelf in front of her and she would not move. At one point she started brushing past me and actually knocked into me a few times but never excused herself or said a word.
Her body language was clearly implying that I was in the way and that I should move already.
Message received.
I left.
Now here's a little bit of info about me:
I am a sensitive soul.
Probably way more than I should be.
I am also extrememly shy and introverted, almost to the point that it scares me to talk to new people.
So when I go out of my way to smile, say 'Good Morning' or hold open doors, it pains me that people treat me like I am invisible.
I'm worried what kind of world we'll find ourselves in when our children are adults at the rate that things are going currently. If we don't care, will they?
♪ 'Cause people got me questionin', where is the love? ♪
7 comments:
All you can do is do what you're doing. A lot of people are so disconnected. It's sad, but Dali Lama said it best, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." It is so hard to love the loveless, but they are the ones who need it most. By the way, you mentioned something about coming this way, but when I read it, I was doing sixty other things at the same time. When are you coming? I would LOVE to see you guys.
Ha, ha Stacy, I get to see her on Super Bowl Sunday :)
Then maybe I will get to see you the week after that :)
Lexi...HL is by far the rudest craft store I've been in (and I still go in there a ton :(
They store empty boxes in front of displays, they don't watch what they are doing and over all seem to have an "I don't care" attitude.
I agree with Stacy...as much as it discomforts you to leave your safety zone and say hello, keep it up. Maybe eventually others will start to do it back. Maybe some times you can make a compliment, too, like, "Cute shoes" or "Your kid is a jerk. You need to teach him manners." Okay, try the first one...maybe a few little compliments will help them see they need to make an effort, like you...kudos to you to notice that things need to change and work on that yourself.
Oh I know exactly what you mean! In fact, just a couple oh hours ago a young lady and her toddler where getting out of their car. The young lady hit my car with her door. Mind you- I am still in the car and had not gotten my crew out yet. She just stared at me! NO Sorry. No nothing!!! I mean I know my car is a peice of junk at this point. However, I agree! Common couresty goes a long way!
I've had the car thing happen, and the rudeness, too. Sometimes I wonder if people think they get a free pass to be rude to you if you have kids. In response, I get a little feisty, just a little. If someone's rude, I mean obviously and blatantly, I go out of my way to say something nice REALLY LOUD with a big fat smile on my face. I admit I don't do this for the right reasons. Sometimes it disarms the grump and sometimes it makes them even grumpier. Either way, it leaves me feeling a little bit of "zing."
I can't help but wonder how many times I have been grumpy to someone else without realizing it. I get so caught up in the kids...
I like to believe maybe people don't say hello back because they are hard of hearing...or smile because they're overly botoxed...
I feel your pain on going out of your way to be polite to others. Sounds like you and I are in the same boat when it comes to shyness. I truely believe that common curtesy has gone the way of common sense, it's not common anymore. The best we can do is to teach our little ones to be polite. Keep being the great person that you are!
You all need to move to Maine!
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