It starts with a smile. Of course, since I am still wearing a face mask, my chinita eyes will have to show that. I follow it up with a sincere question of "Kumusta?" (How are you?) and if that does not merit a response, then I tell the person, "It's OK. It will get better." As I resume my pre-pandemic life, I noticed that people have become nicer, more polite, more engaged, and more empathetic. Maybe the feeling of anxiety and isolation during the lockdowns has something to do with it. Maybe the warmth of human connection has touched a yearning heart. Maybe the lonely soul finally has a reason to break free.
I, myself, have become kinder to others and myself. Less judgment. Less chastising. Less outbursts. Less rage. I mean, what's the point? What's the big deal? So what if we do not get what we want? We are all going to die anyway. Why hasten it by being rude and pugnacious to other people? Have you tried being nice instead? Not only is it more constructive, but it is also more rewarding. But it is better to be nice for its own sake, and not for the reward. When someone is nice, the small, insignificant deed or word has a ripple effect -- the good kind of karma.
The person at the laundry shop told me that I can get my clothes a day early. The check-out staff at Uniqlo gave me a bigger paper bag. The barista at CBTL served my coffee at my table instead of calling my name at the counter to pick it up. The pop-up store gave me a "secret discount." All these because I took the time to ask them how their days are going, to call them by their first names, to say the magic words "thank you," and to throw in the extra "keep the change!"
Nice people may finish last, but they definitely get better outcomes.
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