A few years ago...
...I drove my wife to work early in the morning, and on the way home, I ran out of gas. It was around 5 am and since I didn't think I would be stopping anywhere, I was only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. No wallet, no ID, no cash or credit cards, no cell phone. I had to walk to the nearest gas station and beg the clerk inside to borrow a gas can and a few gallons of gas. (I should mention that the pajama bottoms that I was wearing were powder blue with little sheep on them). I was humiliated. Fortunately for me, the clerk, probably realizing that I was legitimate in my story by my atire, gave me a gas can and a few gallons of gas. I walked back to the car, put in the gas, and promptly drove home to 1) change, and 2) to get my wallet and go back to the gas station where I paid for the gas can and gas, and 3) profusely thanked the clerk.
Today, I was filling up one of the limousines and a man walks up to me with the same look on his face that I believe I had that day. He pulled into the station on fumes and realized that he too had forgotten his wallet. Although he was more fortunate than me and wasn't wearing pajamas, he seemed distraught and humbly asked if I could help him out, which I gladly did.
In todays lifestyle, we can get very busy, and easily forget things like wallets, and don't realize until it is too late. As a society, we can also be very skeptical of all too common scams and scam artists, in hope that it will keep us shielded from the world around us. I can only hope that the gentleman that I helped today, remembers it like I remember the clerk who helped me several years ago, and when the time comes and he sees someone else in need, he is able to help them out as well.
I am reminded of the old addage: "How do you eat an elephant?" "One bite at a time."
We can make the world a better place and bring empathy back to our society. There is not an instantanious fix, rather a slow and deliberate effort that starts with the individual. Change the way you look at the world. Skepticism is fine and keeps us safe, but remember that we are all trying to get through life together and a simple act or gesture can change a persons day, or life for that matter. I will never forget any of the kindness that was shown to me or the people that gave it throughout my life. It is those moments that remind me that we are all human and in this game together.
Happy New Year everyone! Let's make 2017 a FANTASTIC year!.
...I drove my wife to work early in the morning, and on the way home, I ran out of gas. It was around 5 am and since I didn't think I would be stopping anywhere, I was only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. No wallet, no ID, no cash or credit cards, no cell phone. I had to walk to the nearest gas station and beg the clerk inside to borrow a gas can and a few gallons of gas. (I should mention that the pajama bottoms that I was wearing were powder blue with little sheep on them). I was humiliated. Fortunately for me, the clerk, probably realizing that I was legitimate in my story by my atire, gave me a gas can and a few gallons of gas. I walked back to the car, put in the gas, and promptly drove home to 1) change, and 2) to get my wallet and go back to the gas station where I paid for the gas can and gas, and 3) profusely thanked the clerk.
Today, I was filling up one of the limousines and a man walks up to me with the same look on his face that I believe I had that day. He pulled into the station on fumes and realized that he too had forgotten his wallet. Although he was more fortunate than me and wasn't wearing pajamas, he seemed distraught and humbly asked if I could help him out, which I gladly did.
In todays lifestyle, we can get very busy, and easily forget things like wallets, and don't realize until it is too late. As a society, we can also be very skeptical of all too common scams and scam artists, in hope that it will keep us shielded from the world around us. I can only hope that the gentleman that I helped today, remembers it like I remember the clerk who helped me several years ago, and when the time comes and he sees someone else in need, he is able to help them out as well.
I am reminded of the old addage: "How do you eat an elephant?" "One bite at a time."
We can make the world a better place and bring empathy back to our society. There is not an instantanious fix, rather a slow and deliberate effort that starts with the individual. Change the way you look at the world. Skepticism is fine and keeps us safe, but remember that we are all trying to get through life together and a simple act or gesture can change a persons day, or life for that matter. I will never forget any of the kindness that was shown to me or the people that gave it throughout my life. It is those moments that remind me that we are all human and in this game together.
Happy New Year everyone! Let's make 2017 a FANTASTIC year!.
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