On Commuting

Last week I had the privelage of joining morning commuters on their way to work in New York City or surrounding areas. Regardless of their final destination, each individual was on their way to work. I took the 5:41am train to the airport as I was going out to visit Chicago for vacation.
While waiting for the train, I saw some of the craziest, weirdest looking people I have ever seen in my life and trust me, between all the kids in my high school and just traveling around...that's an accomplishment for me to say that these people are just out there. The line of people waiting for the commuter train all fit the stereotype of the 'sit at the desk job all day long'. Every man had protruding bellies hanging over their belts...about a good 1/2 a foot too. It was not only depressing but it also was disgusting. This just proves as some fodder for me to remind myself that I don't want to have to commute on the train to work everyday or have a desk job my entire life. If I turn out like these cold, unhappy faces, then I truly will be one of the unhappiest men and won''t be able to look myself in the mirror when I'm older and know that my life was wasted away.
The thing that fascinates me about this particular subject is that people commute because he/she wants to make the big bucks, as do I and well, most people. But, at the same time, it's amazing how miserable these people are. I understand that on the 5:41am train, it is very early in the morning, but these individuals are used to waking up this early and I should be the grumpy one. I tried to evoke a smile out of others by simply just standing in line smiling at others as they passed me, or even in the train, as swarms of people crowded onto the train, I gave them a little grin but...nothing. I couldn't even sit on the train and try to enjoy my the sunrise as I peaked out the window because these people just drained all that positive energy away. I know this just seems like a bunch of banter, but really the whole point of this little experience was to remind me and you that if you want to end up miserable like these collective soulless individuals, then be my guest go for the big $$$ and commute. I refuse to be unhappy and turn into an out of shape, insane zombie. Not only for myself, but for you...follow your heart and want happiness.

On Saying Hello

Yesterday I was mowing my lawn (and getting mad at myself for not posting in a while), when a man walked by. I waved hello to him, he waved back, I continued mowing the lawn, he kept walking, and I had an idea for a post.

We always downplay the importance of saying hello to others, or even the simple importance of being courteous. We often just pass by people and never acknowledge them, and I used to do the same thing until a man came to my school quite a few years ago and shared us a story with us.

Some time ago, a man committed suicide by jumping off of the Golden Gate bridge. People were shocked that he would do such a thing, but he was depressed and felt separated from the world. In a note he left behind, he explained how he was going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiled at him or said hello, he would turn around and go home. Just one person. Nevertheless, this never happened, and he jumped off.

I'm not saying that a person's life depends on you greeting him or her or smiling. This of course is almost never the case. Regardless, the effect that smiling or greeting someone can have is tremendous. Perhaps your courtesy could be a positive aspect of an otherwise dismal day. For example, I stopped at a food store today while leaving work to grab something small to eat, and a friend of mine was working there (I had no idea he worked there). As I was about to pay, he said, "Don't worry about it," and gave a donut to me for free. It was a small gesture, but it was really uplifting given the rainy weather and how exhausted I felt. This little gesture really had a larger effect on me.

So, say hello! Be friendly! When I go running, I greet everyone I can. It really throws people off guard (in a good way - they almost always react positively). Just a simple "Hey" or "Hi" will suffice. Your small gesture could mean the world to someone.