Dear Editor:
Quite innocently the other day, through a simple act of recognition and kindness, my wife just may have stumbled upon at least part of a solution to remediation of racial tensions so prevalent in the world of today.
We were awaiting our turn in some checkout line at a local store when a young man took his place behind us placating a newborn by rocking his stroller back and forth. The man, whose wife was yet to appear with their own purchases, was obviously of a different cultural base.
My wife took the time in a simple and short conversation to compliment the obviously proud young man on his child before our number was called by the “next available” teller. Shortly after, it was the young family’s turn and they passed behind us. On his way by, the young man took the time to say “thank you” for acknowledging what to him was such a source of pride.
Those two simple acts of thoughtfulness – my wife’s sincere compliment and the reciprocal recognition of acknowledgement by the young man – demonstrated to me how one simple act of kindness or recognition can bridge any cultural divide which potentially may have existed.
A compliment, holding the door for someone, a sincere ‘thank you’, a handshake, a smile, helping someone struggling with some minor task; all of these gestures acknowledge another human being.
By itself, none of these alone will correct, to quote a line from the famous Christmas carol, “ten thousand years of wrong.” However what we can do is build bridges for the future, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Throughout the annals of recorded history, we have allowed generations of (brilliant?) politicians to legislate equality via commissions, committees, proclamations, laws, edicts, internments, prosecutions, and acts of genocide. Nothing has worked, and in some perverse way may have perpetrated the very animosity it was designed to eradicate.
Perhaps it’s time for humanity to forget politicians completely, and endeavour to treat each other one on one, one small opportunity for kindness at a time, whenever that opportunity occurs, and in whatever form.
Ron Johnson,
Mount Forest