“…that best portion of a good man’s life;
His little, nameless, unremembered acts
Of kindness and of love.”
—William Wordsworth, Lines Composed…Above Tintern Abbey
At any time in life, the little kindnesses occur.
Somebody greets you with a smile brightening ‘Yes, sir!’
One store clerk reassures you at some absent-minded act;
another adds an unasked coupon to subtract the sum.
A courteous gas station aide politely pumps your gas,
and tells you this is a good day, while you sit on your ass.
How beautiful the morning is when someone’s kind to you.
It makes you fall in love with life. It makes you feel new.
A sparkle in a worker’s eye is captivating too.
How gorgeous is life when it’s flowing flawlessly. ‘Thank you.’
Featured Image: “Gas Station on Route 66” artist unknown
This is such an uplifting and necessary poem. The photo is quite fitting as always. It suggests a passionate and transcendent goodness even amidst the paint-chipped, dilapidated-tin-world-desert which is life. In the spirit of Uwel I will say that the toll-booth attendants at the Mid-Hudson Bridge are the most cordial and amiable toll-booth attendants in all of New York State. (If anybody else knows of anyone they would like to commemorate: Do it here!)