Just Doing Their Jobs

In the daily living of our lives, we interact with others.  We see, converse with, email, phone family members, friends, co-workers, complete strangers.  Much of our human interaction is work.  In the workplace, often the very performance of our jobs depends on the work of our co-workers.  And so often we come into contact with complete strangers during the course of their work.

Today, I ran errands to the bank and the grocery store.  Everyone, from the tellers and bank managers to grocery clerks and baggers, was very nice and helpful.  People like this inspire smiles and thank yous.  Courtesy breeds courtesy.  Did I smile and say "Happy New Year" and "thank you" because they were kind?  Or were they friendly and helpful because I was polite?  

Each person holds the power to make human interaction pleasant or miserable.  Even the ten-minute relationship you share at the bank teller's window deserves our careful tending.  

Thank you.  You made a mundane task pleasant.  You turned a necessary errand into an excursion.  Thank you.