Making Others Feel Great

“There is a great man who makes every man feel small. But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great.”

G.K. Chesterton

I spend most of my days concerned with me.

Too hot? Too cold? Adjust the thermostat.
Too sleepy? Too hyper? Adjust the caffeine.
Hungry? That’s what almonds are for.

Those are easy, mundane considerations. Why wouldn’t I make efforts to be comfortable? What’s the harm in looking out for #1?

Of course the stakes go up when I’m bumping into people and still angling for the first spot. The tension creeps in when I’m behind the wheel of the car, waiting in line at the store, or walking down a packed sidewalk. If you could see into my brain, you’d discover a low-grade hum of frustration. My thoughts jump around like a nervous cat.

Why the crowds?
Isn’t there a faster way to do this?
For the love of progress….can’t people just get out of my way?

I rev up and look for an angle to jump around everyTHING in my way. Too often, people morph into obstacles and I never stop to consider what’s happening in their world. Too often I leave my imagination out of the equation. I overlook that they are wrestling with challenges, same as me. We are all part of a daily grind - making life work.

Worse still, I fail to consider, even for a microsecond, that I have the ability to make others feel great.

I have the ability to not be in a hurry.
I can choose to make a big deal of someone else.
When I engage with others I can respond with something better than patience. I can respond with kindness.

There’s so much power in seeing others - in REALLY seeing them - as they are and then meeting them in that place.

Meeting them in discouragement
or confusion
or resistance
or disagreement
or slowness.

I can choose to be delighted with a person’s company whatever their state of mind. If I can find the presence to set aside my agenda and choose to be interested in someone else - well, maybe that’s all that’s needed to make someone feel great.