Not Strangers

About a month ago on one of my weekly trips to the grocery store I walked down an aisle towards a lady. I wanted to smile at this lady so I looked at her, waiting for her to look back. She seemed to be making a conscious effort to keep her eyes glued to the ever-so-interesting floor. 

'Why isn't this lady looking at me?', I thought. 'It's not that hard to smile at someone.'

I continued shopping and forgot about the "no eye contact encounter" until I realized that sometimes I would do the same thing as that lady. Why didn't I feel up to making eye contact with some of my very own fellow shoppers. If it's not that hard to smile at someone why do I not do it more?!

Which brought me to this thought:

Everyone in our lives is put in our lives for a reason. It's our responsibility and privilege to brighten the days and lives of those people.

Love God and love they neighbor.

Those are the first two commandments. 

Cheryl C. Lant said, "We are all our neighbor. Our family is our neighbor. Our roommates are our neighbors. Our friends, our enemies, our acquaintances, and those we have never met—all of these are our neighbors."

So why not give a smile or simply say hello to those people you pass in the grocery store? Seems harmless. Easy enough right? Nobody even likes grocery shopping so why not bring some happiness or laughter to those not so happy moments?

After thinking all of this through I was determined to smile and say hello to EVERYONE in the grocery store (within reason- nobody wants a lunatic yelling hello across the whole store, but who knows...that might be very refreshing).

So I started putting myself to the test. I would smile, say hello, sometimes engage in conversation or joke around, but then sometimes I would completely fail! 

I don't know why there would be people that I would pass by. I suppose I'm not entirely used to it, but I'm getting better. I'm getting better at not pretending to be so interested in what's on my shopping list that I can't even acknowledge the people I'm standing RIGHT NEXT TO.

I'm not perfect, but I'm trying, and because of it I've laughed with a neighbor, tried to help a neighbor figure something out about coffee even after I told her I have no idea because I don't even drink coffee, I've connected with neighbors, I've let neighbors help me, and there has been a whole lot of smiling and friendly hellos.

I'm not sure how far this change will go, but at least I'll try to help people feel a little happier as they go about their day.

Matthew 25:40: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Mosiah 2:17: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

I'm sure if we saw Jesus in the grocery store, we'd say hi. Well, He is at the grocery store, and at the gas station, and at the park, and walking the streets. It's Him. 

Because when we do anything to someone else. Whether it be good or bad. He feels it.

So let's do some good.

Grocery Store conversation starters:

"Hello!"

"Hi there."

"I hope you're having a wonderful day."

"I just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful today."

"I'll help you look for your groceries if you help me look for mine." (Zach's idea)

"Donuts are very necessary."

"Excuse me, can I please have some help finding _____?"

"Having a hard time?"

"You already found that? Do you remember where you got it?"

"Those kids are going fishing."

"My daughter keeps smiling at you."

"(Insert your good ideas here.)"