The Blessing Filter

I was thinking about how I live my life. I try to take care of the people around me, whoever that may be. I respond to clerks in the store, talk to gas station attendants, offer to get my office partner a cup of tea when I go to refresh my cup, and greet people when I pass them in the hallway. I like people! But it dawned on me recently that how I treat myself can be seen as a blessing, too. Let me explain. Not exercising and overeating inhibit my energy and wellness levels. I can’t interact as well with people, or take part in things as easily. So by taking care to exercise, and eat and drink properly I put aside a barrier that reduces my ability to participate in what’s going on around me, to invest in the people I care about.

Driving to work I have a choice to be hurried, tailgating and passing other people who are also trying to get to work, or I can bless the other drivers by giving them some space. Doing this calms me down which is a side blessing, and I’m pretty sure, even though they don’t know it is happening the other drivers appreciate not being pushed.

There are so many little things we do each day that can bless the people around us and, in turn, bless us.

* If you take the last cup of coffee at work, start a fresh pot. There’s nothing quite as nice as getting that first cup of freshly brewed coffee.

* If you like someone’s outfit, tell them. Or if you liked the presentation they gave in the meeting be gracious enough to say so.

* Don’t notice flubs. When someone does something blameworthy or even just plain stupid, chances are they already know it and don’t need constant reminders or gentle ribbing that they were a dork. Let things pass quietly.

* Let others talk. Ask them how they are, how things are at home, on the golf course, or at work. . . and then listen.

* Clean up after yourself in the little ways – like don’t leave the bathroom counter splattered with water, wipe out the microwave if your cocoa bubbles over, put the newspaper back together when you’ve finished reading it.

It’s not that every waking moment needs to be focused on being a blessing to someone, or tending to everyone’s needs, but when there are choices to be made, even those small choices, I think they should be made with this blessing filter. I know that when I purposely choose to take that one small extra step that I not only bless someone, some of the blessing will splash back onto me. And maybe, just maybe the world will be a better place even if only for that moment.