They said that once you get into 4th year of the ND program and are in clinic that you have so much more free time than in previous years. Seeing as how I haven't blogged in forever, I don't know how true that statement actually is.
Truthfully, I'm not quite settled in my living situation (most of my stuff is in storage), so I really haven't had that "space" yet to sit and write. I'm always so worried about working on things for my patients that whenever I actually do have free time, I have to spend it outside and give my brain a break.
What I wanted to talk about today was the power of human kindness and of human emotions in general. Last week I was walking from the park to school and at the street lights it started raining. A young girl walked up to me and sheltered me with her umbrella. It was such a sweet gesture, especially as she walked with me all the way across the street (here in Toronto that means 7 traffic lanes) making sure I wouldn't get rained on. After wishing her a good day, I realized how infectious kindness really is.
When you're a dick to someone (often times it's in your car on the 401 highway), that asshole-ishness stews around you and infects everyone you encounter. Have you ever had someone cut you off or ride your tail while driving and it just puts you in the worst mood? Well the same principle goes for kindness: Good deeds and kind gestures fill you and others up with such a happy feeling.
Contrary to what Hugh Grant claims in About a Boy, no man is an island. Although sometimes I want to run away from this city and be away from the traffic and the buildings and the people, it's not possible to run away from all of it. We need each other in society - and if we don't... well... we're stuck with each other. So what's the point of being an asshole all the time when you're stuck running into people everywhere you go? I think we need to start being more kind to one another.
When you're in your car, remember that you're not hidden by metal and glass. We're not cars, we're people. So when someone lets you merge into a lane of traffic, give them a little wave to show your appreciation.
It's fine to be selfish in times where you need to take care of yourself, but in general we need to realize that our actions -whether good or bad - affect EVERYONE around us in that same way.
Do something nice for a stranger. Hold the door open for them. Pay for their coffee. Smile (but not in a creepy way). Whatever little act of kindness that you can do, pay it forward and ask them to do the same.
