I had the most interesting and incredible experience recently. I was at a work conference out of town and was in a hurry to get to a meeting. I was rushing out of the hotel room and had to wait for the housekeeping staff and their large cart.
There were three 20-ish young women maneuvering the large cleaning cart out of the elevator. It looked like all three of them were required to push and pull at the same time to set it free. I patiently waited to the side.
Once the cart was out, one of the women turned to me and asked “Can I tell you something?”
I had a million thoughts run through my mind in this moment. Do I have something on my face? Is my zipper down? Did I throw my towels on the floor when I was supposed to hang them up to save the environment? A flurry of worry crossed my mind.
I must have frozen for long enough that she felt to ask her question again, “Can I tell you something?” Shaken from my trance, and not being able to determine what this could possibly be about, I nodded. What she said next shocked me:
“You have the most beautiful blue eyes!”
She smiled as I stood there awkwardly embarrassed by her sentiment. She smiled, and she and her associates moved on with a wave. I blurted out an awkward thank you and wished them a nice day.
Why would such a statement shock me so much? In fact, I am still feeling the aftershocks of that event. I cannot stop thinking about it.
We are surrounded daily by people who are impatient, irritated, and quick to anger, and ready to criticize at the drop of a hat. We have to deal with short tempers, flaming, and disgruntled and entitled people everywhere we go. We live in a generation of bird-flippers and road rage. It is not pretty.
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