Paying ATTENTION

Have you ever been introduced to someone and 30 seconds later you forgot their name? In the hustle bustle of today's society when we are trying to multi-task and thinking ahead to the next thing that we are waiting to do or contemplating our schedules for the week, it is easy to overlook certain details. We can get so wrapped up in ourselves, our families and our day to day activities, we often don't take the time or interest in others. Whether at work, with our friends lives or anyone else that may need our empathy or care we need to take the time to make others feel important, take interest, ask someone "how are you doing today" and really mean it, listen intently you never know when that simple phrase can make a difference in that persons life. Set aside our agenda and they may even make that difference we are in need of as well.
Last week they featured a story on the news that really restored my faith in the kindness, selflessness and care that another human being can have. An elderly lady who ordered a pepperoni pizza every day for 3 years had not ordered for 3 days in a row, the pizza delivery lady that was always assigned to deliver her a pizza took notice and drove by the lady's home and knocked on the door. When no one answered she called 911, the elderly women had fallen almost 3 days prior and could not get up... the delivery lady who took it upon herself to pay attention to detail and truly care about the women...made all the difference. How many of us may have chalked it up to the lady being on vacation or having relatives visiting, or perhaps she just got sick of eating pizza and would have never called upon her to see that she was okay. I would like to think I would have had the same instincts as the delivery lady, but would I have? I think that it was a wake up call for me to pay attention to detail, take notice of the little things, and be confident that others will pay attention to me, and someday that may make a difference.