Interconnectedness

I was struck today about how connected we all are, and it happened in the most mundane way. It may not seem fantastic or amazing or whatever, but I ran into a regular customer yesterday as I was leaving work. He was joking about seeing me as a real person, and I muttered something about the store letting me out once in a while or something like that. But, he was glad to see me because I had helped him with so many of his phone issues, like transferring his number to a new phone after his old one was either lost or stolen, and he liked me for being so helpful. It felt like talking to an old friend. It made me happy that I was able to make that sort of impression on him.

Then, today, as I was walking to the bus stor with the kids, that short conversation came back to mind, and I realized how much even the littlest thing could change someone's life. I usually think of it as just doing my job when I help someone troubleshoot their phone or help them put minutes on their account. But, quite a few times that stuff makes a huge difference. One guy remarked that he had been docked some pay just because his phone wasn't working and his boss couldn't contact him. He was really grateful that he had a working phone again. There was a woman who was happy that she could call her nephew again. Thereare so many people that I help in little ways, that we all help in little ways, and that help, that bit of goodwill, ripples outward.

I thought about the people I've smiled at and said hi to them, and the smile they gave me in return. I also thought about those stressful days when I don't feel like smiling at anyone and someone, always a customer, calls me out for not being friendly with them. I imagine that bad will ripples outward, too. The point is, I feel awful about not saying hi and smiling at my customers, and I always apologize, but they don't quite believe my sincerity. I guess you really do have only one chance to make a good impression.

I know there isn't a chance in heck that I'm going to be in a good mood all the time, and I know that the stress ofthe job is going to affect me again, and make me miss that opportunity to be friendly. But, I think if I justmbe honest with that person and tell them the stress of the moment has made me forget my manners, and then apologize, it might make things better. Won't know until I try.

I guess my point is we all change the world a little bit every day. The littlest things we do resonate through society, for good or ill. We may not feel up to dealing with another person because the last few hundred were pretty needy or they just kept coming at us like machinegun fire, but in the end, giving all those people a positive experience will color their day in a positive way, and will color the days of everyone they connect with, and so on, and so on, for around sixteen hours or so. I'm not saying that this is going to lead to world peace. But, it does feel pretty good to help someone somehow and get to see a positive return.

I have a couple of younger co-workers who look amazed that customers come up to them asking if I'm there, and when they see me they tell the kids that I'm the only one that can help them. On my darker days, I hate being the one "doing all the work", and I wish that the other associates would step it up and help me out. Those days, I really forget my manners. But, then come the times like last night, when I talk to a customer on the way out the door and feel like I've just spoken to a good friend.And, I realize all that work was worth it.