I love that song. It reminds me of when I first married and went on a vacation in year two. That song blasted on our car radio the whole way to Florida, as we sped (probably) for twelve hours to Fort Walton Beach. We sang with it, kept ourselves pepped up by it, turned it up loud, and stayed motivated and awake because the enthusiasm of that song just did something to the soul! We wanted to drive man! And that’s what we were about; we were living the “drive.”
Yesterday, I saw on the news, where the oldest living World War II Veteran, who was 110, gave his secret for living such a long life. He was articulate, bright-eyed, and adorable. He sat there with his daughter in her seventies, and told the world that his own secret to life was that he just loved everybody! “Love your fellow man, that will make life looooong, and sweet.”
I thought about his highway of life, and I wondered what he’d seen, gone through and experienced as a black man who fought in a great war for this country. This man, I honestly wanted to meet and listen to. That’s rare for me because now-a-days, I tend to run from new people. I just sort of find them, well, stressful.
I’ve learned to avoid people, so much so that I’m afraid I’ve gotten quite good at it, as in my social skills are just sharp enough to get me in and out, quickly, in just about any situation. It’s sad really because when you stay away, love fades. And then human spirit seems to die. (This is a good place to pause and wonder.)
Something sparked from that WWII vet. I all of a sudden wanted to venture out among the public, and be nice to them.
I went to the grocery store and actually smiled at people revealing my yellow, disgusting coffee-stained teeth, and my forever blinking eyes. You know something? I don’t think anybody cared! I think we all had a good time, as I discussed with the cashier that we’re all trying to make a living, and her daughter who has two kids and lives with her, just got a new job at Freddie’s, and she liked it just fine.
I smiled at those nail ladies at the local Walmart, and you know something? They didn’t really smile back, but I didn’t care, because I tried and was having such a good time trying, I ended up having a beautiful day. Just about everybody I came in contact with made me happy, and I think I made them happy by just trying to show a little “nice” on my face.
I usually try to appear approachable but stand-offish, or more importantly, someone that just wishes to remain as part of the crowd. I secretly live in fear that someone might try and strike up a conversation with me, and then I’d answer some simple question wrong. I get real in my conversations, and people just can’t handle that. But to avoid conversing altogether, that’s not the answer.
“I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before, “explained Mr. Darcy. Miss Elizabeth informed her husband to be, as her fingers swept along the piano keys, “My fingers do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then, I have always supposed it to be my fault … because I would not take the trouble of practicing.” Jane Austen gives such classical advice, does she not?
Yesterday, the song, the memory of that great time in life, the veteran’s advice, yes, I made a point to decide to be nice to my fellow man, and I had all that I just mentioned swept up into a simple fun day! When you love people, you automatically bleed it! (Or maybe a better word would be ‘radiate’ it).
When you talk to people, you never know who you might inspire.
So many ways I could close this blog because as I’ve mentioned, I have the highway of life, a veteran with good strong words to live by, and a successful road trip home from Wal-mart in which I talked to people, and they were lovely. Life is a highway, and it’s simple and matchless in that part of Arkansas. 🙂
Fit People Talk 