I was running at the gym when I noticed something wasflickering so I looked up and apparently there’s a lamp that needed to be replaced. I looked around and nobody else seemed like they notice it, so I was wondering if I should tell someone about it once I finished my running session.
Just before I finished, apparently one of the cleaning service staffs noticed it too and not for long he came back with his friend to fix the lamp and once they were done, the lamp was back to shine brightly.
And something hit me in the mind, just like the lamp, people also emit the flickering light when they are tired, sad or in trouble to hint that they need a rest, a comfort or even a help.
Humans, are social being. We cannot live without other people. No matter how introverted we are (as introverts are often associated with anti-social – okay, don’t let me get there!:p) – we all need other people in our lives especially during the hard times.
Whether we like it or not, we should admit that having someone to care about us always feels so nice and that’s why somehow when we are in need of other people, unconsciously we will emit that flickering light, to get someone or anyone to notice us, just like the flickering lamp at the gym.
The random status on the social media, the empty look on the face in the midst of the crowd, the cranky attitude, the rude behaviour, the songs in the playlists, the painting that was made, the link posted, the stories posted on social media, the quotes posted, the writings that are written, the tears shed and so on – are the flickering light, our flickering light. Our effort to reach out to people.
There will be people who will see that flickering light, sometimes they will ignore it and sometimes there will be those who care enough to stop and try to reach back. Those who care, keep them well and don’t take them for advantage.
And some other times, we will be those people who will see that flickering light on other people where we would need to make the same decisions, to ignore it or to reach back.
There is one quote from Plato that said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
We all have our flickering light moments – so being kind, is the best thing we can do to help other people who are having the flickering light moments. We will never know what other people is facing, dealing or struggling with, but at the very least we can be that person who brings a little comfort in their lives.
Start with small things – a smile, a hello, a thank you, an appreciation, an encouragement, a listening ear, a hug, a pat in the back, a support, a listening ear and finally an understanding heart.
I have a story, one day I was on my way to the gym which is located in the top floor of a shopping mall so I took the elevator. The elevator was operated by an elevator man and as soon as the elevator door opened, I smiled at the elevator man – he smiled back, then when I was off the top floor, I thanked him.
It happened for a few weeks until one day I didn’t see him for the whole week, and then on the next week, I saw him again, as usual, I smiled at him and he smiled back.
Then, I asked him where he has been because I didn’t see him for a while, from the look on his face, my question kind of caught him by surprise before he answered that he was moved to another shift at another elevator and I noticed that something changed, his face suddenly brightened up and he told me that it’s been a hard day for him so I listened until I got off the elevator, again, I smiled, said thank you and wished him all the best. He smiled brightly and thanked me.
Since then, whenever he saw me, he would give his brightest smile. He would help me out with things and even when he didn’t see me for a while, now he asked me, where have I been and how I’ve been. It might be a simple thing but I suppose that simple thing has made his day a little brighter and I was glad for that.
It was always a short interaction within a short time in an elevator, but as much as he was brightened up by my smile, I was always brightened up by his smile as well.
Besides, won't it feel good if we can do a little kindness to put a smile on someone's face? Who knows they might have been having a bad day and that was their first smile of the day :)
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