The other day, a woman related a story to me about how her mother had viciously berated her since she was a child; and how one day, it was happening in an elevator—in front of others.
When the door opened on their floor, the mother bolted out, but just as SHE started to go a stranger (a random person who happened to be there) whispered: ‘Hey’. The (then 11 year-old) girl turned back.
The stranger said: ‘It’s not you. It’s her.‘ Then, the elevator door closed.
Why do I bring this up?
Because the (now 53 year-old) woman told me that at times when life gets really dark, when she hears her (inner) mother’s voice telling her that she’s shit, she can’t do it, or to just plain give up… she then sees that stranger’s face as the door closes in front of her, nodding. Sometimes, it’s the only thing that keeps her going.
The point?
If you have a nice thing to say—a word of encouragement, a compliment—even if it’s to a passing stranger; don’t hold onto it. You just never know where and when it will land. Same goes for the opposite…
“think twice before you say something negative”.
About The Author:
Ed Solomon became a professional writer at age 19 when he sold some jokes in the back room of The Comedy Store to comedian Jimmie Walker. A few years forward, he became well known as the writer behind the massive hit Men in Black. You can follow him on Twitter.
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