“There are two types of people. Those who come into a room and say, ‘Well, here I am,’ and those who come in and say, ‘Ah, there you are.’” —Frederick Collins
I’m ashamed to say it but for many years I would come home from work and walk into my home with the “well, here I am” attitude. Of course I would have never said those words but, sadly, that was the vibe. Thankfully, I have changed, and I now work hard to show kindness and warmth in greeting others.
I just returned from a spectacular 9 day trip to the Piemonte region of Italy. The landscape, the wine, the food, the people, the lifestyle — everything was simply spellbinding. This was my first time to Italy and I fell in love with this beautiful country.
When you travel to a foreign country it does have its challenges. I didn’t speak the language. It was difficult to understand the road signs and how to pay for self-service petrol. Something as simple as ordering a meal was challenging too when you don’t know Italian.(more photos from Italy below the fold)
City square in AcquiTerme
However, each person I encountered while traveling in Italy showed warmth and kindness. I was reminded of how good and beautiful people are. When we watch the nightly news our outlook can become jaded as we hear frightening stories of horrible human behavior. That is not the majority behavior of humanity.
The warmth and kindness I experienced with the Italian people was uplifting. Whether it was greetings on the street or getting help with directions, menus and parking tickets, I returned home graced with the spirit of la dolce vita (the beautiful life) and am reminded of the joy that comes from relationships and interactions with others. I’m reminded that to create joyful surroundings you have to bring joy yourself and to have friends you have to first be a friend to others.
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Dale Carnegie
Be conscious and intentional as you interact with others today. Enjoy the impact you’ll have with each person you encounter, whether a friend or stranger, as you initiate a kind “there you are” quality to your connections with others.
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