If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say, “You’re going the wrong way”
You’ve got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets
Don’t walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way
Try a Little Kindness – Glen Campbell – 1970
Last week I was boarding a Southwest flight from Nashville to Phoenix. As is common in Nashville, musicians tend to be on every flight. You can usually spot them. Long hair. Sunglasses. Earrings in both ears. Tattoos. And I guess the guitars they carry are a dead giveaway too.
On this flight, I, as usual got into my seat right away, put on my headphones to deter talkers, and tried to spread out as big as I could to discourage people from “sitting next to that fat guy.” With my eyes fully focused on my phone, I didn’t notice the passengers filing past me (except the ones who whacked me in the head with their backpacks as they turned around in the aisle). After a few minutes though, I saw the passengers filing down the aisle smiling at the guy sitting right in front of me. They nodded and seemed to recognize him. Thinking it was a musical celebrity, I made a mental note to see who he was when one of us got up to use the bathroom.
But when I got up about 90 minutes into the flight, I realized he was just a regular guy. No celebrity. What he did do as I walked past him was to look up, acknowledge me, and smile. I did the same.
And then I realized that he was just being nice.
Imagine that. Nice people being confused with celebrities.
I’m not as nice as I used to be. I’ve become impatient. Annoyed. Stressed. Travel seems to bring it out in me. While I love being with clients and the people who come to my talks, the trip there and home sucks the joy out of me.
I think that describes most of the traveling public. And maybe it’s not just travelers. Seems like most of us are tired, stressed, annoyed, and impatient.
When Glen Campbell wrote this song in 1969, times were tough too. There was an unpopular war in Viet Nam. The civil rights movement was in full swing. Young people were seen as “rebellious.” RFK and MLK had been assassinated. And while I was only five years-old then, I can imagine people were tired, stressed, annoyed, and impatient.
And yet Campbell implored us to show kindness. Not because anyone deserved it. But just because. I think his message is even more relevant today.
This week, think about that as you see “your brother standing by the road” or your “sister falling by the way” and maybe try a little kindness.
What do you think?