Some good news came to me recently. My grandpa called me to check out his new hearing aids. He was able to hear my voice for the first time in years. We were thrilled by it.
He and my grandmother had been trying to get a new hearing aid for more than a month but they had trouble with the instructions and the hardware. They had me on the phone and gave me an update. Their story didn't evoke sympathy, but joy.
Anna was the person behind the hearing aid that had them smiling down the line.
It's because we need to be less hesitant about being kind.
Anna gave them more time and attention than the other providers had given them. She didn't assume that if my grandad could make it work at the clinic, he could make it work at home as well.
Anna offered to go to my grandparents apartment to show them how to use the hearing aid in order to make sure it worked as it should.
She was concerned that traffic would be too rushed if she dropped by before work. She chose a Friday after work. After picking up her son, she would go straight to theirs. They expressed their displeasure. My grandad wondered why she would do that. Anna wanted to know why not.
I have wondered what if it is more common than we think.
People underestimate the willingness of strangers to engage with them according to research. News coverage of current affairs tends to be more negative than positive, according to a study.
Positive stimuli don't warrant as much attention because they don't pose a threat to our survival If negative news gets more coverage, we might think of the world as more negative than it actually is. It will affect us individually and collectively.
I wonder if my attention leads me to focus on negative stimuli instead of positive ones. I don't know if I'm more attentive to the negative stories my friends and family tell than the positive ones.
We only tell ourselves small stories. They should be more negative than they are. If you didn't offend this person, what would happen? What if the friend hasn't been having a fight? What if your parents think you're doing a good job?
Negative stories can make us feel bad. If we don't engage with positive ones, we might be more cynical, less hopeful, and just as likely, possibilities.
Being wrong can be a wonderful thing even if we don't think of it that way.
When you look in the mirror, there is a flaw that you don't see. Maybe you would have gotten that job. Maybe your new neighbour wants to be friends with you. Maybe that day will come again.
Maybe there is hope for the world. Maybe some leaders are interested in making a difference. Little things like paying more attention to good news and sharing it will help.
My grandparents both testified that Anna stayed for 90 minutes after she arrived. They said that their voices were filled with wonder and delight for nine minutes. She wouldn't bill them for a short time.
When Anna told my grandpa that speaking quickly was like speaking in a foreign language, he finally felt understood. She was willing to give him time to get used to it. She spoke to him slowly and gave him time to think. She listened and treated him well.
Anna was very positive. She refused to accept anything but words when she left.
Why do such things for strangers? Why not? Anna said so.
When we hear of a kind act, it's a good idea to call a friend.
For all of the bad that happens in the world and in the news, behind the scenes, in people's ordinary lives, there are untold stories of good.
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