I have previously said before that I have two life philosophies. One is from George Carlin from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and the other is something a Girl Scout leader taught me at camp. First: “be most excellent to each other.” Second: “leave a place better than you found it.”
Be Most Excellent to Each Other
Or, as the Bible puts it, “do unto others as you want done unto you.”
Or, “treat others how you want to be treated.”
It is such a simple idea. With every interaction with other creatures try to have as much kindness, respect, and happiness as you can. It is not always easy at all. I have had days where everything annoys the crap out of me. People are too slow or too ignorant with intent and I just want to be short tempered or nasty. It is so easy to give dirty looks or sigh. I do it all of the time. The only person it hurts is me because I stay in a craptacular mood and I spread that craptacular to the others around me.
It reminds me of a Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon book called “Bad Omens.” In the book a demon is reporting to his demon superiors about the evil he is inspiring and he tells his woefully out of the loop bosses (why doesn’t it surprise me that Hell has middle management?) that one of his major acts of evil was to interrupt cellphones during busy London lunch times. They were thoroughly unimpressed until he explains that it puts people in bad moods which they take back to their offices, which in turn the co-workers bring home to their spouses, which them spreads to their kids, and eventually ends in pets getting kicked. Evil genius.
Leave a Place Better than How You Found it.
I think the woman actually said cleaner than how you found it, but, as anyone who has seen my car knows, I have issues with cleaner so I stick with better.
This is another simple concept that is almost inseparable with the first one. I try my best, on days I can actually be mindful of this, to not make those around me days worse. I go to the store and if it is a madhouse or if I am behind some jerk in line, I try to smile and be friendly to the people around me. I have worked as a cashier in a few jobs and I know that having a good customer after a nightmare customer can make the difference between a funny story about some jerk and a really terrible day at work.
I drive people I go out into public with crazy sometimes because I give compliments anytime I see something I like. I will go out of my way to tell someone that I like something or to thank them. I know I look insane. Chances are, I am insane. I just happen to know how good it feels to have someone give me a compliment. I have this strange desire to make people around me feel better about themselves.
Okay, I have more to say about this but I feel far too preachy and I am not down with that. Life is rough and we are not making out of it alive. Sometimes you have shut up and try to be happy. Sometimes you just have to try not to be a jerk. If all else fails and you know you are going to be a troll, go hang out somewhere away from everyone else.
Geeks a Geeking