…because you don’t know what kind of day they have had.

The person who is honking at you in traffic like a crazy person; the checkout person at the grocery store that mumbled and never looked you in the eye; the person who jumped out of nowhere and stole your cab; the person who rudely bumped into you in the street and huffed like it was your fault and walked away without saying anything.

I have met these people; them and several more like them and/or even worse.

I have been guilty of rolling my eyes at these people, at yelling or honking back.  I have been guilty of being one of these people, yelling or honking or pushing or cutting off in order to meet my needs whatever they may be. I decided a few years ago to not be one of these people (if I could help it) anymore and also to not meet these people in a defensive reaction.

The truth is that I don’t know what is happening in their lives, what they had to live through that morning and where they are going or what they might have to face when they get there.

I did an experiment where I imagined that when I had the opportunity to interact with these people they were actually in the middle of a really difficult time in their lives. They were going through a breakup; their mother was in the hospital; a dear friend just passed away. (Ignore for a moment the morbidness of this, I was only doing it as an experiment and wasn’t in fact wishing ill luck on these people).

What playing out this fantasy did for me was allow me to meet them with huge compassion and love.

Often I wouldn’t even have to say anything to them, but something very subtle in body language must have changed and somewhere on an unconscious level these people would look up to me, connect through a smile, a hello, a nod, something.

Tweet: Meet everyone you meet with love. @erinkellygirl

When I was living in England a few months ago I actually had a gentlemen turn back around after he glared at me as he walked past the first time, walk back up to me and start telling me that his mother had passed away the previous last week. We chatted briefly, he thanked me, said goodbye and walked away.

Tweet: All I did was send him a little light and love as he walked by. @erinkellygirl

I would love to hear your stories of the magic that happens when you send love back to someone who may not be showing up for you that way. If someone jumps in and steals your cab, think perhaps that they just got news that their wife was in labor. What would happen if you smiled at them, wished them luck and a beautiful rest of their day and told the cabby to hurry. If nothing else, you’ll feel better simply by not stewing about losing your cab.

Tweet: magic happens when you send love back to someone who may not be showing up for you. @erinkellygirl

Give it a try. What did happen to you?

Please, share your story with me.