Bill, our building security person, showed up in my office
one afternoon with a very concerned look on his face. He said he was worried about me and wanted to
be sure that I was alright.
I was puzzled by his question and assured Bill that I was fine,
rather busy but feeling fine. I asked Bill what made him think that something
was wrong. Bill explained that as long as he had been in the building he had
seen me take a brisk walk at 2:00 every day. Sunshine, rain, snow or wind he
saw me walking around the outside of the large parking lot at work. Always at
2:00, he explained that he could just about set his watch by me.
However today there was no Clark. Not at 2:00, 2:05 or 2:10.
Bill said he knew that I was in the office and he thought that something must
be wrong so he came to check on me. I thanked Bill for his concern and let him
know that I would be walking today, just a little later than usual. I was
impressed by how a simple change in my behavior could trigger such change in the
behavior of others.
This very short conversation had an impact on me. I was
touched by Bill’s sincere concern for my well-being, (we all should be so
concerned about each other). It was sincere and authentic. I really don’t know Bill that well, just from
seeing him doing his patrols and chit chat about the weather and what not. I
found myself trying to recall the last time I had shown that level of concern
about someone I knew like I knew Bill. Sure, I do my best to help out my
friends, but what about the people I don’t know so well?
I went out to eat with my son a few days after I talked with
Bill. A local seafood restaurant. Not a fancy place, paper plates and styrofoam
cups, that type of place. As we left, I was carrying the leftover food in a to
go container, my son noticed a homeless person, that I really never saw,
sitting on the sidewalk. I asked my son
“Do you think he’s hungry”? “Ahuh” was the reply as my son nodded. So we
offered him our left overs. He quietly accepted and began to eat. My son and I
walked on without saying a word. He broke that silence whispering to me “That
was cool Dad, I feel good inside”.
Show some compassion, reach out to someone when there is no
benefit to you, do a random act of kindness. Show the same kind of concern for
another that Bill did when he looked in on me.
Do something that’s cool and makes you feel good inside.
