When most people describe me, words such as “kind”, “friendly”, and “sweet” are some of the adjectives they use. I’m not trying to boast about myself, but it makes me very happy to know that others see my kind heart. I believe in treating everyone you meet as nicely as possible. The stranger on the bus, the lady taking your order in a restaurant, the boy you sit next to in your health class. You know nothing about these people, in fact, they are just another component of your day. So why should you be nice to these people if they’re nothing more than another person to you?
Everyone is fighting some battle. The cashier at your local Walmart may be in the middle of a custody battle with her ex-husband. The girl behind you in line may have just lost a family member. The nice boy working the front desk in your residence hall may be struggling with depression. And you have no idea. You don’t know what others around you are going through, so what harm will being nice do? Every job I’ve ever had has required interacting with others, even on days in which I didn’t even want to talk to my best friend. It’s the people who would smile at me, who would tell me to have a good day, who would understand that mistakes happen that would make getting through these days easier. Their small act of kindness, something as easy as a simple smile, made my day better. This is why I have vowed to always be kind to those I interact with. You never know how much a small conversation could brighten someone’s day.
A lot of people choose to ignore the feelings of those they interact with. They take the frustrations of their battles off on someone they don’t even know. They throw their anger, their sadness, their discomfort onto others, sometimes without even realizing it.
I encourage all of you to show a little compassion for others. Compliment the girl who lives next to you on her outfit. Offer to help a classmate study. Tip your waitress a little extra. Go out of your way to hold the door open for people. All of these actions require minimal effort on your part, but can really make a difference in the lives of others. You don’t loose anything by being nice, in fact, you could really gain it all.
