MAKE YOUR LITTLE WORLD A BETTER WORLD

DEPRESSED BY WORLD PROBLEMS? Make the little world of your daily life better for people you meet. Learn their names. Show interest in them. The dividends are wonderful. This morning I got to know a young fellow at the COOP named Baldo who carried a heavy bag of fertilizer to my car. I could tell that simply because I asked him his name and made some joke about the fact that he wasn't bald cheered him up. At the supermarket, I had a long conversation with Steve, a fellow I've seen there for years, but only talked to to get directions. Today we talked about his 33-year career with the supermarket, most of it as manager, and how he had asked to be demoted after he had gotten his two daughters through college since he wanted to only work 40 hours a week instead of 60 or more. I said that I had the same extra-hours problem as a teacher, but that I had the summers off. I also pointed out that he had made a good decision in re. his health. Again, as in the case of Baldo, it was easy to tell that he enjoyed being treated like a fellow human and not just a "cog" in the supermarket machine. Of course, I've written a book on the subject, but sometimes I forget to apply my own principles. Doing so today has reminded me of how important it is to at least make your own little world better. It may well be the only world you can influence, no matter how you try to influence the bigger one -- not that you should stop trying! -- not that we all should stop trying!!