Friday, February 26, 2010
Longevity vs Immediate
Relationships come in many types; however, two very broad ones are long-term and ones which serve an immediate need. Long-term examples are marriage, life-long friends, family, and some career relationships. Short-term cover anyone from the person you pass on the street to someone you date merely to go out.
Both types of relationships are important; both play different parts in our lives. Marriages and life-long friends have an obvious need to have a strong relationship. However, short-term relationships can be just as important in the moment. We have to establish some type of relationship with, for instance, a store clerk in order to deal with the discussion of a purchase. If you don't trust the clerk at all, of if the clerk thinks you are not worth his/her time, then the purchase will not go smoothly if at all.
It will help each of us to take a look at all our relationships, even those in which the time is very short, and see how much attention we are paying to each of them. Our lives overall, I think, will be better served if we work hard at even the shortest of relationships, giving that individual the care and time he/she deserves. They will notice that attention and react, most of the time, in accordance with it. In other words, a smile or a kind word can change someone's entire day.
Remember: Be good to everyone for all of them are fighting some kind of battle. We just don't know what it is.
I look forward to your comments,
Scott
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1 comment:
Hi All,
Very, very true. It is so easy for me to judge someone who isn't giving good service or for not being more customer orientated etc., etc. Some people don't pay attention to their relationships, even if they are being paid to do so, but for some there are very good reasons.
I read a long time ago that possibly the waitress is in a bad mood at the end of a long day because her feet are killing her or the clerk isn't giving you their full attention because their teenage son didn't come home last night and they are worried sick. "Be kinder than necessary because every one you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
If I look beyond the surface, there may be all kinds of reasons why people behave as they do....and I have to get beyond the perfectionist in me and remember that I can be pretty low on giving people my full attention when I am doing something really "urgent or important" that is, in reality, far less of both than the person right there in front of me.
In The Purpose Driven Life (I have lent my English copy to someone so cannot look it up - the perfectionist would lol!) there is a little prayer asking God that every day I make a difference in the lives of the people I encounter...it can be just a smile, a word of thanks or appreciation, taking the time to notice that someone is hurting...no matter what, people and relationships (including the very fleeting ones) are more important than all the rest of it. Jesus taught us that by example; if I start by trying to emulate Him, I won't go far wrong.
Have a blessed day.
Linda
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