there is one thing in life that i have come to learn.
that is, treating each person you come in contact with like they are important makes such a huge difference.

this might be a trite example, but hear me out.

i was at work today, waiting tables, and being awesome and whatnot. it's usually my policy to treat customers like they rock because it typically means more money for me. (however, i have a theory that i'd rather deal with a nice customer who tips poorly than a rude customer who tips well. so maybe i'm not too much of a mercenary. but i digress). i decided to expand that practice, however, to my coworkers and to whomever else may just decide to cross my path.

there is this one girl at work who i just didn't think liked me. she was always rude and standoffish and i typically avoided her when i could. but today, i decided to say good morning to her and ask her how she was. to my suprise she didn't say "leave me alone, jerk", but smiled and returned the question. and the entire day we were pleasant to each other. which led to me think that when we think people are rude to us, maybe they think we are the ones being rude. and it's up to us to break out of that, even with a simple good morning.

you see, because in the end life is not about me.
it's about other people.
and making other people feel like they are liked and valued as a person even when you're not sure you even like them is what i believe i (and i think you, too) are called to do.
i think that one book says something along those lines. oh you know, the bible. yeah, that jesus dude. and that paul guy, too.

it is freeing to live outside of yourself. it rids you of not only vanity and pride, but also of self-consciousness and insecurity. because those are just two sides of the same coin: self-absorption.