If ablog exists and you don't tell anyone about it, does it really exist?

I'm the first one to admit when I make a mistake. Okay... maybe the second. I truly have no business giving others advice. I'm all about the 'observation.'

And the things I observe...

Oh boy-!

Whatever happened to courtesy and manners? This guy SHOVED passed me to get off the train this a.m. and then stood on the 'saunter-y' side of the esca-ma-lator. What was the big hurry, buddy?

And just the other day as I was walking up the 'I'm-in-a-hurry' left side of the esca-ma-lator, this older gentleman (and I use the term VERY loosely-!) on the 'saunter-y' right side reached the street level at the same time I did and he suddenly turned to the left and crashed right into me. And do you know what he said to me?

"Watch where you're going you young fuck-!"

I was aghast (to use an old word with dramatic purpose). I replied, "YOU bumped into ME, asshole-!"

My first thought, of course was, "He called me YOUNG-!" but then I realised that people no longer give a thought to anyone else. All they (we) think about is ourselves. And it seems worse to me every day.

You know why Oprah is so popular? Because she has the 'common sense' thing DOWN-! On her show she reminds folks to 'always try and do something nice to someone else EVERY DAY.'

No, I don't think Oprah is our century's messiah. And I really only like the make-over shows. In my mind, she is he woman who ate the planet Earth. But I do, however, think she gives some very sage advice sometimes.

The fact that we have to be REMINDED - by Oprah of all people - to do nice things to others (without expecting anything else in return) IS SAD TO ME.

For example: the other day as I was walking home, I saw one of my neighbours - a older African-American man - struggling up the street ahead of me with these gi-normous bags of food. It was much too much for a guy his age to be carrying by himself. So... I offered to help him. I took the large potato sack of a bag from him and we walked down the street to his building. These guys who are ALWAYS sitting on the corner (of Fillmore/Oak) noticed and gave the old guy some shit - teasing him a little. We all see each other all the time. But THEY SAW ME as I helped him up his stairs. And then the nicest thing happened: he offered me some of his food as an offering for helping him. I said 'no worries. you don't have to give me anything' and I continued on to my building.

When I got into my apartment I'd realised I'd needed something from the store so I ran out to Walgreen's on Fillmore to get it. And as I was walking BACK home, I saw one of the guys who'd been sitting on the steps earlier - one of the guys who had been teasing the old guy I'd helped - helping ANOTHER person - an older, African-Amrican woman - with HER bags.

Even if we come into someone's life for just an instant, our lives have been changed a little bit.

Do something nice for someone else every day. Sage advice. Thanks, Oprah.

You're welcome.