Simple Gestures and Common Courtesy

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” -Steve Maraboli

The world is moving at such a breakneck speed that sometimes we tend forget the value of some simple things in life. One of them is the act of common courtesy. Every so often, we go through things such turbulent periods in our lives that seeing even a friendly smile can cheer us up simply because we haven’t seen it in a while. Every time you go the supermarket or to see a movie, take just a second to return the courtesy a cashier is giving you. Smile and ask them how they are just like they do. It may not seem like much at the time. But to them it may mean the world after an array of unhappy customers or a long shift of work. One of the things I personally like to do with people I’m connected to on social media is ask them how they’re doing. That may seem like an insignificant gesture until you remember that social media basically serves as a promoting tool so that kind of greeting is rare. On Twitter, the platform I engage in most frequently, rarely do you see tweets that say something like “just wanted to ask how you’re doing.” Most of the people who receive such a tweet from me always say they’re “pleasantly surprised.” More than anything else, simple gestures let people know that you’re thinking of them. The joy one gets from knowing someone cares should never be underestimated. There have been several reported cases of attempted suicide in which the person who was about to kill himself or herself said one phone call or conversation stopped them. Sometimes, a simple gesture can travel for miles on ahead even without us knowing it. Have you ever been effected postively by someone’s simple gesture? Has a smile or a particular greeting ever made your day? Share your thoughts & experiences by commenting below.