I was out in the car running an errand and something in the vehicle ahead of me caught my eye. The driver actually turned to look at the passenger. They were obviously having a discussion. Nothing heated. Just a conversation but instead of the usual car talk where neither party actually looks at the other, he turned to watch her as they talked. I was struck by how often when we talk in the car we simply stare ahead or out the side windows at passing scenery. But these folks were actually looking at one another. I will have to try that sometime.
And, then today, I was standing in line at the Post Office to finish mailing more information to the IRS so my 87 year old Mom can get her money back from the government. And it was brutal to watch the one clerk try to be helpful to the seven folks in front of me in line, each of them having a different need and some of them speaking different languages. The clerk had a little of the “robo pilot” to her service as she obviously had answered all of these questions many times. But she continued to do her best to prompt each customer to ask all of the necessary questions to make sure they each got done what they needed to do. About 20 minutes into my wait the lady behind me in line complimented me on my hair. I was so surprised that I confessed to having breast cancer and told her this was the only choice I had as it was growing back. A few minutes later she asked me if it was coming back in the with the original color and I said yes. The only change is that is is coming in curly for now. I had recovered enough by then to actually thank her for the compliment and I told her how much it meant to me for her to comment. It marked another point in my recovery to be seen as almost “normal” out in public now. She hesitated and then asked how I was doing and seemed genuinely happy when I said that all seems right for now.
It is the little things. Look as someone when you talk to them, even in the car. And compliment someone when you notice a feature. You never know what it might mean to the person on the receiving end of the conversation.