Sticks and Stones

For the most part, everyone I've encountered here in the city, even just in Harlem, have been nice if not friendly. Sometimes at the grocery store an old lady will engage me in conversation about keeping bread fresh, or on the bus I'll see a man give up his seat for a pregnant woman. But every now and then there's a meanie. My sister went to the grocery store early yesterday morning and along the way a man called her, for no apparent reason, some awful names. He had a little boy with him, too, and she heard him tell the little boy that that's what you should say to people when you want them to get out of your way.

Appalled at his display of senseless rudeness, she was further incensed that the man would be actively training a little boy how to be cruel too. Coming from a family where the children were taught how to be kind and polite, it just didn't make sense to her that there could really be such mean people out there. She came home in tears.

I suppose the only way to combat it is to be as kind and friendly as we can. If a cruel word can have such an effect, think of what effect a very kind word could have on a stranger. So it was funny when, later, we set off together for a church activity. As we turned the corner on our way to the subway, I smiled at a guy walking a dog, and he said to us strangers, "Hey, have a wonderful day!" We thanked him and went on. As we passed another church, a woman outside handed us pamphlets. Mine said "You are Special." Another token of unexpected kindness. At our church we were treated to a most uplifting message of love and charity, where we were challenged to live the way Christ lived, giving love and service to all we come in contact with.

So we see that life is a lesson, and gives us daily choices. We have two examples before us--the rude and cruel man, or kind and friendly strangers. How will we choose to react to bad and good? What will our own actions toward strangers be? What will we teach our children?