I had an opportunity to do a nice thing for another school today and was able to parlay it into a longer, nicer bike ride.
The nice thing made their lives a little easier but was not a huge thing. I just delivered something that they would have had to pick up in the morning. Since I was on my bike, the errand put me into Central Park a mere 20 blocks south of where I would have entered coming from work. This added a good mile or two to my ride. This was a Good thing! Instead of doing the half loop of the park that I had figured on, I got to do a 3/4 loop. Woo Hoo! The only not so nice thing about it was that I hit a head wind going up the Great Hill. That's not quite fair. I should not have to fight the wind and gravity at the same time!
I've been thinking a lot about "good deeds" recently. As a general rule, I try to be a good person. I hold doors for people, give up my seat on the subway and do other, simple things like that. I'm not looking for recognition but do these things because in my world, they are the right things to do. When others in my world do good, I recognize it and comment on it when appropriate. Whether it is a letter to a colleague or a "that was very nice" to one of the kids. But in my world, good deeds do not have to be acknowledged. You do them "because" and that should be enough.
That said, I am a bit irked by people who need recognition for their deeds. As in constantly. And who whine about not getting it. My (not voiced) response: if you more then the satisfaction of doing good then you are not doing it for the right reasons.
So there!
The nice thing made their lives a little easier but was not a huge thing. I just delivered something that they would have had to pick up in the morning. Since I was on my bike, the errand put me into Central Park a mere 20 blocks south of where I would have entered coming from work. This added a good mile or two to my ride. This was a Good thing! Instead of doing the half loop of the park that I had figured on, I got to do a 3/4 loop. Woo Hoo! The only not so nice thing about it was that I hit a head wind going up the Great Hill. That's not quite fair. I should not have to fight the wind and gravity at the same time!
I've been thinking a lot about "good deeds" recently. As a general rule, I try to be a good person. I hold doors for people, give up my seat on the subway and do other, simple things like that. I'm not looking for recognition but do these things because in my world, they are the right things to do. When others in my world do good, I recognize it and comment on it when appropriate. Whether it is a letter to a colleague or a "that was very nice" to one of the kids. But in my world, good deeds do not have to be acknowledged. You do them "because" and that should be enough.
That said, I am a bit irked by people who need recognition for their deeds. As in constantly. And who whine about not getting it. My (not voiced) response: if you more then the satisfaction of doing good then you are not doing it for the right reasons.
So there!
1 comment:
I totally agree.
I absolutely hate when folks feel the need to tell me exactly how they put in so many volunteer hours, how much they donated to charity, etc...
Then those same folks treat the guy behind the counter at Starbuck's like a lesser-citizen....uh, what's up with THAT?
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