The Lingering Effects of Sprinkling some Goodness.

Sometimes people say the nicest of things that puts you at ease in an instant.

I remember the time I was in the grocery line, paying the cashier who demanded the exact change. This involved rummaging through my bag for all the coins, then counting them, handing them over and collecting the notes, putting them back in the purse, stuffing my purse into the bag. All through this process I could hear impatient sighs from the people in the queue, some of them muttering about how I should not be there at the rush hour and how I should hurry up. In the midst of all this, a kind voice behind me said ‘Its ok, take your time’. I stopped turned around and heaved a sigh of relief. This lady had washed away the stress from every nerve of mine. I felt completely different in an instant. My frantic movements turned to calm and confident. As I rolled out my trolley I turned back to thank her for changing my demeanor in less than 3 seconds.

The other day a young lady rushed into the bus looking decidedly embarrassed at the way her four children delayed the bus. Mumbling an apology, she got her children and their bags to settle into vacant seats and herself sat beside me. Turning to look at her I smiled and said…. ‘Must be tough getting them all ready on time’. Something strange flickered through her eyes as she smiled back and let out a sigh. I am certain I saw her eyes well up as she smiled.

All of us have this need to feel a sense of belonging, to be accepted for who we are, loved inspite of our inadequacies. The moment we find this space, we feel relaxed and confident.

At times a tiny encounter that lends this calm can mean a lot to someone going through a chaotic moment.

To some of us, reaching out to ease somebody’s day comes naturally, while for some others it needs a bit of practice. All the same, it can be like a stream in an oasis, when in the midst of our anxieties, a fellow human lends us support and empathy.

A few ways to practice being someone around whom others feel comfortable and at ease are –

Smile. A genuine smile lights up your face and instantly puts people around you at ease.

Be nice and gracious to people around you.

Empathize. People live through varied circumstances, some of which we may never know

Be generous and genuine with your compliments which immediately makes people around you feel relaxed

Sharing a joke can sometimes be a great way to defuse a tense moment

I write this coz I’m completely convinced of the power of human interaction ; of the ease we can lend a fellow traveler who feels like a mess and finds life’s circumstances overwhelming.

I think its more than just important, in fact ide say it is our responsibility to look outside of ourselves, and, reaching into that space, make life a tad easier for every person whose path we cross.

So lets make a choice to be mindful of the people around us and whenever necessary reach out and make someone feel at ease, offer gentleness that is far reaching, has a ripple like effect and makes this world a better place to live in.