Little things matter. I’ve read books that try to quantify how random interactions with relative strangers can have pervasive effects. Sure, we all know that one bad driver on the way to work can ruin your morning, but there’s a good side to this single. (Kids, ask your grandfolks what a record is. Be prepared to hear about AOR radio and the movie “FM”. Counter that with “Airheads”. If you’re too young to remember “Airheads” then you shouldn’t be reading this. Go play World of Warcraft, or whatever it is young people do nowadays.)
A smile from someone you see regularly -- whether it’s the security guard, a barista or a fellow drone -- can make you feel like you’re not in it alone, whatever “it” is. It’s not just misery that loves company; a good laugh is best shared.
What’s my point? On Monday I’ll be dropping by my friendly neighborhood Department of Motor Vehicles to wait in line and renew my driver’s license. Granted, the DMV is neither friendly nor in my neighborhood, but I expect to share this experience with a number of strangers who, by the end of what I presume will be a lengthy wait, will be familiar strangers. It’s my own fault for forgetting that the deadline approacheth, and I will pay my penance in time and patience. Hopefully there will be someone else who will see the humor in the situation, and with luck, I’ll share a smile or two. If not, I might be able to give a first hand analysis of the Stockholm Syndrome.
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