“I have to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer. Have courage and be kind. When there is kindness, there is goodness.”
This quote came from a recent remake of Cinderella done by Disney. To be honest I was never too fond of it, but this quote stuck with me especially during the past few days.
I am currently enduring a brutal nine-day trial of working non-stop. I don’t know what it was about yesterday, but there was something that made everyone and everything just go crazy. All the refrigerators at my job broke, so most of the day people was focused on moving product so that it didn’t go bad. Then someone managed to steal $100 from a cash register. The poor cashier was in tears because she was worried she was going to get blamed for it. Next a customer mouthed off to another coworker. Finally, I was verbally attacked by another customer for simply answering a question. I had already been beaten down by several other customers that day and she was just the “straw that broke the camel’s back.” I ended up crying and fleeing to the bathroom. When I finally came out, the general manager working that day actually noticed I was upset and asked if I was okay. I broke down and told him he should fire me. I am terrible with customers, the “regulars” that come to the store hate me. People will avoid calling in to place orders on the days that I work because they don’t like me. I expressed all this to the manager with more tears just building up within me. To my surprise he was took my side in the situation. He normally takes the customer’s side, or to put it better he puts the almighty dollar before the employee. Word spread like wildfire that some customer had made me cry. It was truly beautiful to see how much support I received from my coworkers. It was true affirmation that I do count and I am valued in the store. The manager said later that I am valued by management.
As uplifting as those sentiments were, I was faced with a heartbreaking reality. The words of the customer still stung. Who likes to be called “dumb” or an “idiot”? The fact of the matter is, we are all God’s creatures and God does not make idiots or fools. Later a coworker said to me that customers should think twice about complaining, when they do not know how their complaint will affect the employee. That job might be their welfare and that complaint may cause that to be taken away. There are always three sides to every story: their story, your story and the truth. God is the truth. Everyone is going through something at sometime. I know it is hard, but we have to remember this when getting frustrated with others and especially when we feel we have been wronged by others. We are quick to turn against one another and place blame. I am trying my best to forgive that customer and I admit I am struggling to do so but it is as Jesus Christ Himself said, “ forgive them for they know not what they do.” I know that I have been just as cruel and quick to judge like she was. We are all sinners, and this is why it is so important to have courage and be kind.
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Originally posted at Kitty in the City.
Image: Edmund Dulac, Cinderella.
3 thoughts on “Be Kind”
Carry on. It is good.
It does take courage to be kind–so often it’s easier to ignore other’s discomforts or someone else’s unhappiness. I’m glad you had sympathetic coworkers to come to your aid in time of distress.
This column gives me new appreciation for all the customer service representatives we encounter every day in all kinds of venues. These doughty souls have to deal with all sorts of complaints, many of which they are powerless to fix. “Be Kind” is an excellent maxim to keep in mind when dealing with our irritations through these representatives.