Monday, June 13, 2011

How Far Would You Go?

Photo from VisualPhotos.com
I was waiting with my children the other day for an elevator.

I had already pressed the button on the wall to call an elevator to the lobby level.

Loaded down with bags of things, we had been standing there for a few moments waiting for the elevator to come.

As the farthest door away from us opened, I noticed not one, but two employees of the building rush from around the corner and steal into it before us. (They saw us but tried looking at the ground instead.)

We were lucky to get to the door before it had closed and the guys entering it never even bothered to hold the door, never mind wait their turn to get in. (How silly would that have been?)

How inconsiderate I thought.   

But now-a-days it’s not so uncommon to be treated like this-it sometimes seems as if no one has any manners any more.

Today, I was in a similar situation and as I was just beginning to enter the building this time, and even farther away from the elevators than before, a woman who was in the elevator already saw me as she was pressing the inside button for her floor.

She was on the phone and I did not have hope of getting in that elevator. I just figured I’d put my things down and grab the next one.

Not only did  the woman look towards me, but she threw up her leg and stuffed her foot in the door to stop the it from closing. (Nice shoes and all she just stuck them in the door!) 

Then, even though she was on her cell-phone she paused to ask me which floor I needed once I got on.

At the end she told me to have a good day.

I told her how much I appreciated her efforts to save the elevator for me and that she really went out of her way, when others who should, do not.

She just smiled, laughed and said, 'I know exactly what you mean'. (Maybe she'd been in that situation before and knew what it felt like.)

When it comes time to do something nice for someone, (in our house we call it Random Acts of Kindness) how far will you  go?

Truly,
Amber