Good deeds

It's amazing how that little act of random kindness can brighten a person's day. Yesterday, as I was leaving work, I noticed someone behind me in the lobby; and stopped to hold the door open for them. Apparently, this woman had had a very rough day, and this microscopic courtesy acted as a salve to her emotional stress. Her gratitude for this moment's effort was completely out of proportion to the amount of effort involved in performing it. As a matter of fact, seeing how much my minor act had put a bright spot in an otherwise grim day brightened my day far more than it should have.

It's almost silly, person #1 holds the door for person #2. Person #2 responds by saying, "Thanks, I really needed that," and relating that they had had a really rough day. Person #1 and person #2 both walk away feeling much better than they had 30 seconds ago.

The human condition - go figure.

Let's break the journey now on some lonely road.

Sit down as strangers will, let the stress unload.

Talk in confidential terms, share a dark unspoken fear.

Refill the cup and drink it up. Say goodnight and

wish good luck.


Synthetic chiefs with frozen smiles holding unsteady courses.

Grip the reins of history, high on their battle horses.

And meeting as good statesmen do before the T.V.

eyes of millions, hand to hand exchange the lie ---

pretend to make the clasp.

- Jethro Tull - "The Clasp"