Maybe That’s All It Takes

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

We are on day 195 of 15 days to slow the spread.

Sunday afternoon, I was out on a bit of an excursion. I had orientation for my upcoming gig at Blood Lake Trail in Midlothian. Then I need to pick up a prescription and stop by the grocery store.

On the way from the orientation I was traveling down Midlothian Turnpike.

For the strangers to the Richmond area or those who live on the Northside of the James River and can’t get through customs. Midlothian Turnpike is the section of U.S. Route 60 that runs mainly through the southside of Richmond and beyond.

Actually, heading East to West, U.S. Route 60 runs from Virginia Beach to western Arizona because, you know, California has to be different and swallowed it up with the Interstate.

I had to look that up for this post and now I’m thinking…road trip.

While Route 60 does run through New Mexico, I’d have to take a right turn to get to Albuquerque and I’m not sure I’m emotionally ready for that.

I digress.

Where was I?

Ah yes, back to Sunday afternoon.

Mug Shots
(click the pic)

I was driving east on Route 60. Traffic was heavy.

When we slowed a bit, I stopped to allow a woman to pull her vehicle onto the highway. She offered a wave of thanks and we moved on.

Because the training had lasted a couple of hours, I stopped at Wawa to wee wee.

I am 62 years old and I don’t know why I think that was funny…or appropriate.

The thing about Wawa is, and it seems to be only there and not other convenience stores, you always hold the door for the person in front of, or behind you.

For those less familiar with Wawa than they are with Midlothian Turnpike, let’s just say that Wawa is the king of convenience stores. It’s one of the good things that has traveled south from the north.

What? Too soon?

I’ve noticed that it really is the pattern at Wawa, almost without exception. People hold the door for you, you hold the door for others. It’s an unwritten, but understood rule.

Where am I going with this?

Well, I was on my way to the drugstore but that’s not the destination of this post.

It just struck me on Sunday that, two random acts of kindness if you will, might just be the kind of thing we need.

We’re cranky. We’ve got cabin fever. We’re agitated by the news and social media.

I wrote recently about how families are breaking up over the presidential election. Seriously.

I have long been convinced that the only solution is prayer and, quite frankly, repentance. Your sins may vary.

But it’s not going to hurt if, along the way, we do those little acts of kindness.

Let someone in on the highway.

Hold the door for someone.

Bring me dinner…I mean take someone dinner.

The little things can add up and we might just be a little less cranky.

I had places to be on Sunday, but letting someone into the traffic lane, or holding the door for someone else didn’t delay me.

True, I was almost delayed by another driver. I pulled into a clear lane (of the three lanes of traffic) and was almost run off the road by a driver doing 65 in a 45 who decided he had a clear path to change lanes.

NARRATOR: He did not have a clear path to change lanes.
He was “kind” enough to blow his horn.

I might have said a word or two. Might.

With apologies to Joel Osteen, none of us are having our best life now.

But maybe we can have a better life if we’re kind in the little things. The things that cost us nothing but a simple gesture.

That really is a more excellent way.

And, it’s a start.

Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash


 

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