It finally happened this week.
After 2-1/2 months of living in the city, I heard someone say to me, "WOULD YOU MIND?? (Insert irritated-snarly-voice-with-attitude-in-an-ugly-gym-outfit). YOU'RE TOO CLOSE TO ME!".
I may, or may not, have rolled my eyes and then gave her a great big
ol' East Texas smile under that paper mask of mine as I snapped a
picture of her.
Yep, I was anxiously standing in line at Trader
Joe's for my very first inaugural visit when this skinny
chick-who-looked-like-a-man turned and barked these words at me.
Startled, I stepped back a foot. Truth be told, I couldn't have been
any closer than 5'11" from her skinny rear-end. I have mastered an
impeccable way of visually measuring the 6' between me and the person in
front of me these past few Covid months. I simply visualize a 6' man
laying on the ground between us.
I'm pretty sure it works most every time.
But in all
honesty, most people in my short time of returning to the city have been
nice....polite....and respectful. Most everyone in East Texas told me
the city people would eat me alive. That hasn't been the case, but there
is a big part of Liz that is missing the human-ess (not a word....don't
bother to look it up) of living in the country. The Grace that comes
as easy as breathing or acknowledging or even...(gasp)...speaking kindly
to strangers in the grocery store aisle or, heaven forbid, hugging
during a pandemic, is missing here. Strangers generally don't speak to
you here in the city unless they're telling you to BACK AWAY. And that
is why I am making it my mission to look them straight-in-the-eye and startle them with conversation and a smile...and to see the person who is inside their skin.
“Here
is a simple rule of thumb for behavior:
Ask yourself what you want
people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!
Luke 6:31
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