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By Lorie Ann Simpson
Working with the public takes special grace. I should know because, at times, I am both “the public” and, on occasion, I “work with the public.” Some people out there that make up the public are wonderful. They strive to be pleasant even when things are not going their way. I try to be that type of patron. I must admit that I have sometimes lost my patience because we are only human. Hopefully, I haven’t too many times.

However, it seems lately that more people are just not considerate when visiting a place of business; even when things are going their way. I can understand that you are upset if you are not happy with something. But when did the rules change so you can be very rude to the person who is in front of you? More times than not, that person in front of you taking your wrath only works there. They don’t own that business. And more times than not, what is happening probably isn’t even in their control. Personally, I tend to go more out of my way to help someone that is considerate and sweet than a person that is just nasty to me.

So maybe next time you (speaking to myself as well) are having a rough time at a business, take a step back. Take a breath. Realize the person helping you is trying their best. They may not have all the answers, but hopefully, they are trying to rectify the situation. And like we all see on social media, be kind; you never know what someone is going through.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. ~Ephesians 4:32

Caring has the gift of making the ordinary special. ~George R. Bach

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. ~Galatians 5:22

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi

When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world. ~Harold Kushner

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~Aesop

You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve. ~Joseph Joubert