I like when people hold the door for me. Young people, old people, people of every color, size and shape. I like it when we're good to each other, courteous and patient and spreading little seeds of God's goodness right in the middle of our everyday lives.
Not long ago, my husband and I were headed somewhere--where doesn't really matter. It's what we encountered along the way that literally took my breath away and sent my heart beating so fast it nearly burst out of my chest. Before I get ahead of myself, let me start with the stoplight. We were the third car back, windows down, enjoying the warmer spring temperatures. The light changed from green to red. The first car moved. The one in front of us didn't. The young white male driver and his front-seat buddy, also a white male, were staring out the window not paying attention to the light. So my husband gives a little courtesy beep. You know the kind...a quick honk that says hellooooooo.
Well, that young man was instantly enraged. He gave us the finger, starting screaming obscenities at us, and rather than turning as he'd planned, he swerved over beside us, stopping and starting, ranting and raving at my husband and me. My skin prickled with fear. Crazy people have guns. And knives. And we're just running over to Wal-Mart. We barely beeped, just a little honk, not an obnoxious blast of the horn that we've all heard before. I could feel the heat racing around my neck. "Do not engage," I kept saying to my husband. And the road-raging driver kept coming at us. It was a frightening episode that lasted no more than three minutes. Yet it left me shaken and confused. What happened to this human being? What in the world could make someone go off the deep end over what amounted to a courtesy beep.
Common courtesy. It's not so common anymore. Regardless of how many doors get slammed in my face, I am determined to stay focused on spreading goodness rather than grief, joy rather than fear, hope rather than despair. Sounds like the Prayer of Saint Francis, and one of my favorite church songs ever.
Next time you're racing into the grocery store or outlet mall, why not look behind you and wait a second. Hold the door and smile. It's that easy to make another human being feel good. And if you're already holding doors, God bless you. You're making the world a better place. :)
