A little kindness gives, begets human dignity

We all recognize and appreciate fellow human’s dignity and decency. Media sources are citing it more often, so why is it not always practiced?

Maybe, if we can keep preventative sources that follow in mind, it will be easier.

Almost all of us have had bad days when everything seems to going wrong. Maybe the final straw was when someone’s inconsiderate actions forced you to be late to an important appointment. Do you loudly read the person the riot act? On the highway, they refer to that as road rage. Hopefully not.

What is that old saying: “If you can keep your head ….”

We’d like to think that we are level-headed. Guess the trick is to keep reminding yourself on those days when things are not going your way. You can do it. I have, but not often enough.

Maybe this day you are running late when someone you don’t know ask you what appears to you to be a stupid question? Do you give them a portion of your time with an unemotional answer that you still believe should have been obvious to a thinking person? Another test and there are more.

I don’t pretend that the following suggestions are my own opinions or even my own actions at all times, but they do help when I remember that I should do them. I think they will help you too:

* Speak to people. Hello, Good Morning, etc. There is nothing so important as a cheerful word or greeting.

* Smile at people. That should be easy since it takes 72 muscles to frown and only 14 to smile, but some days we don’t feel like it. But we should do it.

* It’s so easy to say “thank you,” as is often case for me these days. Saw a bulletin board in St. Luke’s Hospital, third floor for a written thank you. That’s a great idea.

* Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of their name. This is my biggest fault which I blame on a poor memory, but undoubtedly it is partly lack of effort on my part.

* Be friendly and helpful. If we wish to have friends we have to be friendly as are so many in the Twin Ports.

* Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do it is a genuine pleasure.

* Be genuinely interested in people. Almost every individual has something likeable about them.

* Be generous with praise and hesitant to be critical.

* Be considerate for feelings of others. It will be sincerely appreciated.

* Be thoughtful of the opinion of others. There are usually three sides to a controversy: yours, mine and the right one.

* Be alert to give service. I expect that is why there are so many volunteers in the Retired Senior Volunteers Program in Douglas County.

There is an old truism that is compassionately shown every day throughout the county when so many people are giving of themselves without financial reward. A very good friend of mine was one of the very best, Bill Schiller. Many of the readers will remember Bill and that big smile as he did so many volunteer works.

Bernie Hughes, Ed.D, is a retired educator who resides in Superior. He can be reached at bernie3024@centurytel.net

Tags: community, seniors, health