Be Kind to One Another

When I switched my cable and Internet service a couple of years ago, I got a free DVR. A free DVR that my sons and son-in-law tried to teach me how to use way back then ... key word being "tried." I remembered their instructions for, oh, maybe a couple of days or so, and then no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how in the world to make the darned DVR record a show. But a couple of weeks ago, I decided I was going to conquer the blasted silver machine so that I could record two shows ... The Big Bang Theory and Ellen. I'd like to tell you that I was able to figure it out on my own, but alas, that would not be the truth. The truth is that after trying for two hours to make the DVR do what I wanted it to do, I gave up and called AT&T's customer help line. And you know what? I was making the process way harder than it needed to be ... way, way harder. Now that I think about it, there's a huge pearl of wisdom in that statement ... I do the same thing in life, too, at times ... make the process way harder than it needs to be, that is.

So, back to my DVR ... now that I've mastered the DVR beast that resides next to my television, I can watch The Big Bang Theory or Ellen anytime I want. Like at 3 a.m. when I can't sleep, for example. Or on Sunday afternoon. I can watch as many episodes as I want to as well, and I don't have to watch the commercials unless they are really good ones (like the ones my company creates). I seriously think I could watch Sheldon Cooper for a week straight, by the way ... I'm pretty sure he may be my twin brother and we were separated at birth. So you know, I'm typing this post as I sit in my spot on my couch ... my spot ... and in an hour or so, I will be eating sugar-free Jello with Cool Whip like I do every single night. Tonight is orange Jello night ... orange Jello and Cool Whip tastes quite a bit like a Creamsicle, one of my favorite ice cream treats before diabetes. Oh my goodness, that's quite a bunny trail digression even for me ... sorry. (I do love Sheldon, though.)

Those of you who've been reading along with me for a while know that I would love to be on Ellen's show one day. And those of you who actually know me personally know that I would really, really, really love to be on Ellen's show one day. For the record, I don't like Ellen because she's like me ... I like Ellen because she does a ton of good for a ton of people ... a ton of good. And she's simply hilarious ... her sense of humor obviously strikes a chord with a lot of people since her show has been on the air for 10 years now. I haven't been able to watch Ellen other than clips on YouTube for the last few years unless I was home sick or on vacation because her show airs while I'm at work. I'm a happy camper now that I can watch her show when I get home in the evenings thanks to my newfound DVR expertise. While I enjoy many things about Ellen's show, there is one thing she does every day that I truly love, love, love. Every day when she closes her show, Ellen says, "Be kind to one another."

For the last week or so, I haven't been able to get those words out of my mind ... be kind to one another. I'm sure many of you could share stories of when someone was unkind to you ... the sad truth is that many of us have been treated unkindly at times. And the real truth is that life is way, way, way too short to be unkind to others or to have others be unkind to you ... or to me either, for that matter. I think Ellen's mantra should become the mantra of every single person on earth ... be kind to one another. Just imagine what the world would be if we all practiced kindness ... if we all demonstrated compassion ... if we all played nice and fairly ... if we all lived with integrity and honor. Seriously, think of what the world would be if we were all kind to our families ... if we were all kind to our friends ... if we were all kind to our co-workers ... if we were all kind to the server at the restaurant ... if we were all kind to the homeless man on the street ... if we were all kind to the person sitting on the row behind us in church ... if we were all kind to everyone with whom we come in contact. But instead, we so often betray one another, shout at one another, condemn one another, hurt one another, judge one another, lie to one another ... it's true, and you know it just as I do.

So thanks, Ellen, for reminding me each day that when the day comes that I draw my final breath, I want people to say of me, "Terrie was kind to all people." Yep, I would be good with that being the legacy I leave behind ... I'd be really, really, really good with that.

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32