Sometimes you hear something you wish you didn’t or sometimes you hear something taken out of context and often, as you age, you hear something totally different than what was said but it turns out to be funny, sweet and story worthy, all at the same time.
Wednesdays, my day starts at 6:45 AM and I often go out for breakfast/lunch at one of my new favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor, First Bite. It is a gentle place, I think they are all Buddhists and they have water with cucumber in it, self serve. A sign near the napkins states, “Don’t take more napkins than you need.”. The table marker you take for your food order is a picture of a random animal. It is a good karma kind of place, where you clear your plates and use your manners. People are actually talking to each other at the tables instead of communing with their cell phones. They have the best $7.00 breakfast, Eclectic Breakfast-2 eggs any style, toast, jam and your choice of fingerling potatoes or bacon. They prepare the potatoes for each order, sliced in half and seasoned, grilled with onions. Fabulous. You feel good eating there and the price is right.
I mentioned to my co-worker that I was really excited because I was going to eat breakfast for my break, just as a woman came through the door to shop. She replied to my breakfast as ” Oh, do you have a dog named Rex? Is he black or white?” I replied, “Black” and she said “Oh, aren’t they the best??” To which I replied “Yes, the best ever!”
Now I could have corrected her and ruined a magical moment. She heard something that she related to and made her happy. Maybe she lives alone and doesn’t talk to a lot of people. Perhaps she has a bit of dementia and forgets. It was obvious that her hearing wasn’t the best but why correct her and make her feel bad for something she has no control over and already has distress about?
We spend a lifetime communicating or attempting to. Words get mixed up all the time and they can start wars, end relationships and mend broken fences. The world is becoming a place where headlines are all people digest while ignoring the meat of the story. Words scar and Words inspire. I think we are throwing words around too casually then coming up with lame and insincere apologies. Go gentle into the world with your words, think about how it might land on a sensitive soul. Do tell the truth but deliver it with a bouquet of flowers instead of an Uzi.
Be like Rex. The best black dog ever.
3 Bites Blog 