words, even from strangers, can stay with you for a long time.
I thought of that this morning as I parked my car to go into a Zumba class. As I turned the car off, I realized that I had not parked the car so it was centered in the stall. So I pulled it out a little and readjusted it. It reminded me of something that happened a few years ago when I was at Costco (I could write a book about experiences at Costco--am I going too much?).
As I came out of Costco with my groceries, I noticed that I had not parked my car very straight and that it was making it difficult for the people in the car next to me to load their groceries. I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't park this very well." The woman just smiled and said it was fine. Then I noticed something on my windshield. I picked it up and read it when I was in the car. It said, "Only fat pigs park like this." I was literally stunned. I drove away and cried. It felt very personal, though I know it probably wasn't. I don't know if the person who wrote it even saw me or just saw the bad parking job. What it was all about was the anger and hateful feelings of the person who wrote it But even knowing that, it still hurt to think that there were people around me that could express such hateful words.
I compared that to the kind words of a woman who was in the Zumba class with me today. The dance moves are so fast, and I'm just barely catching on to something when the instructor moves to another set of complicated steps. During the class the woman smiled at me and said, "I've been doing this for a month and I'm just barely learning the steps." We struck up a conversation in between the dances, and her kindness brought tears to my eyes.
Every time I park my beast of a suburban, and I don't do it very well, those hateful words on the note from a stranger still come into my mind. Just as, from now on when I'm at Zumba and not keeping up very well, I'll remember the kind words of another stranger.
Words do wield great power. Be it for good or bad. It is amazing how some little words that are said, sometimes just in passing, can have such an effect on us. It reminds me think twice about the words I use.
5 comments:
Ugh! Who would write a note like that? People can be mean to people they don't even know. I always try to be nice to people because I never know their situation. When my husband starts getting angry at a car that is driving not to his liking I always say, "Well, maybe they are on their way to the hospital and that is why they are driving so fast." or, "Maybe they have a new baby in the car and that is why they are driving so slow." I think it is always appropriate to be considerate of others even if they will never hear your words.
Dear God....may you give me the heart to give grace to others as much as I need it! lol I have parked CRAPPY more times than I can count....screwed up, burned, and shrunk more than I want to think of.
Grace. Without it we would perish. And those that don't give it...I find my heart stops when I think of how empty their life must be.
I think I'm going to cry too. How dare someone write that to my mom! And they obviously did not see you because there is no justification to that mean comment! You are the perfect of example of kind words. Everything that comes out of your mouth is kind. Some day I'll be like you! I love you know matter how you park. :)
Amen to what Tiffany said about my unbalanced sister. That was a very good entry. The tongue can be a weapon, for good or evil.
What in the world???!!! I'm with Tiff, who could treat my mom that way? I'm getting ready to prepare a class on "judge not" for a RS night. You've given me perfect material as well as reminded me what an amazing person and writer you are. If you ever meet the person you can give them my number!
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