by John K. Stoner (July 6, 2017)
Lisa Miller tells this story, which illustrates the encouragement, and learning, of better behavior—practices informed by love.
She writes:
The long line at the post office was filled with people doing the usual post-office thing—exchanging glances and rolling their eyes, simmering with hostility at the delay. I could see that the clerk behind the counter—all alone at a rush time—was incredibly angry, glaring, and steaming at each customer who approached her window. Then it was my turn.
Suddenly she blurted out ‘I’ve had the worst day ever.’ I said, ‘The worst day ever? I’m so sorry you had the worst day ever.’ In a flash, the shift of energy and intention in the crowd was palpable—where there had been a shimmering hostility by exasperated customers and the clerk’s defensive hostility back, suddenly those in line changed from a position of anger to understanding. People stopped glaring, smiled in sympathy, and quietly tidied the line instead of leaning impatiently forward. I witnessed a sudden manifestation of the culture of love by a line of people. (p, 345).
This change of energy and atmosphere in a whole group of people was the result of a choice by one person to invite the higher nature and innate goodness of others to express itself.
It’s the kind of thing all of us can choose to do if we choose to.
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