Wednesday Wonder

Everyone has a story.

I admit it. I sometimes spend a mindless hour, or two, scrolling through stuff on the internet. But, I have come to see it less as mindless and more as inspiration lately. I like to find feel good stories to read, especially if there has been a lot of emotionally draining things happening in my life.

It is easy to find stories about random acts of kindness or loving moments if you look for them. It is also easy to find stories about people being unkind and hurtful too. And yes, I suspect that many of the stories, feel good or otherwise, are probably now generated by AI, but it doesn’t make me feel any less good when I read them.

What often becomes obvious in the stories where someone wants to lash out, but responds with kindness, is the fact that in using kindness the other person’s story starts to become apparent.

Someone going through a challenging day, or week, or month, or year may not wear the challenges on their sleeve. It may not be written on their face. Or it may be very plain in the tired eyes, slumped shoulders or slow, methodical movements. Unfortunately, in the world of today anything that slows another down means we want them out of our way. We have things to do, places to go, people to see! Get out of the way! We don’t take the time to notice the signs.

Yes, it takes time and patience to not respond with a gruff ‘get out of my way’ type of behaviour. But wouldn’t you like that type of response sometimes? People are often very good at hiding their needs and challenges. Stopping long enough to consider that could make all the difference.

Sure, you might be thinking, well that is Mary-Jane’s job, she is supposed to know or watch for the signs of needs and challenges in others. It isn’t just me, or my job. Because remember, there have been many times where I have admitted to a lack of patience. Some days, my story is not lending itself to patience and kindness. And I just don’t feel like digging deep enough to find it. But, I try. Most days.

One of the interesting things about these stories I read, is the fact that when someone is struggling to respond with patience and kindness, the person who needs it but is getting the impatience and gruffness, seems to find a way to extend the patience and kindness instead. Both people could use it and when one finds it, the other is often jolted out of their own head to see what they missed.

Imagine a world where we all went through life thinking: “Everyone has a story. I don’t know what it is, but I will treat everyone with patience, kindness and love. Just in case.”

I have mentioned before that I won’t go Christmas shopping if I can’t share peace and goodwill to all that day. In the midst of what often feels like chaos at that time of year, I try to be a light in the darkness. So aware of doing it at that time of year. Don’t think about it as often the rest of the year. But the Christmas feeling seems to last at least until the new year, in pretty much everyone.

This year, post-Christmas seemed different. I went to the grocery store and thought to myself that the peace and goodwill we all talked about a few days before was certainly gone that day. Everyone seemed so surly, self-absorbed and selfish in their attitudes. Post-Christmas blues? Maybe. Stormy weather? Definitely. A need for a little kindness? You bet!

I did my best that day not to let things get to me. I am always tired at that point due to the busyness of the Church up to Christmas Day. But, it seemed that others were somehow more tired, or feeling more let down, or… something. I could manage a smile for everyone and a little grace. Grace is when we give just because we can. That day, I could give everyone I met a little grace. Not easy, but I could try.

We never know what the person next to us is going through. We never know when a little patience, kindness or love will be just what is needed to get them through it, even just for that day.

Patience, kindness and love, that is grace, and is always worth giving. You may not ever see how it did something positive. It is worth giving all the same. That is, after all, how God treats you. Always with a little grace, actually, usually a lot of grace. We are called to be God’s hands and feet right here in our small corner of the world. This is how we can do it. Because…

Everyone has a story.