It wasn’t the Slim Jims that made my day
to you
I’ve recently been driving out of state for a type of treatment for my shoulder* that isn’t available locally.
Last week, I didn’t realize that the timing of my appointment, plus something I needed to do on the way home, was going to cause me to either miss a meal or make some compromises.
(Yes, life gets in the way for me, too!)
An occasional missed meal isn’t a big deal. In fact, if you’re looking to lose weight and/or improve metabolic health, it can actually be helpful. **
But I don’t like missing an opportunity for protein. Muscle and strength don’t come easily for me, so if I want to stay strong well into old age (which I absolutely do), protein needs to be a high priority.
So, there I was in the gas station, scrambling for the best protein source I could find to help prevent the nickname “Skinny Vinny” from resurfacing.
Little did I know, I was about to be reminded about something just as important, if not more, than maintaining my physical strength throughout old age.
I walked up to the cashier with two Slim Jims and a package of almonds. And then I realized I left my wallet in the car.
(Yeah, I chose Slim Jims. Don’t tell anyone. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I did, at least, choose the flavor with the least added sugar.)
As I’m explaining my stupidity to the cashier and saying that I’ll be right back, I hear from behind a firm “Sir, wait, I got it.”
“What?” I replied, totally confused.
“I got it, really, don’t worry about it.”
I was so confused, I didn’t know what to do. The cashier proceeded to ring up this gentleman’s items, and included mine.
I insisted on seeing the receipt so I could see how much money I owed him.
“Seriously, don’t worry about it. Have a nice day.”
It felt like I’d offend or annoy him if I continued trying to repay him, so I put my hand on his shoulder, thanked him sincerely, and embarked on my drive home with an interesting encounter to wrap my mind around.
For the entire remainder of the day, I enjoyed a refreshing sense of hope and appreciation – not because I got free food, but because I was reminded about kindness.
Every day, we see news reminding us of war, political nonsense, and the horrible things that some people do. And sometimes it’s not just the news that makes life seem so grey – it’s our own lives and the inevitable encounters we have with unpleasant people.
It’s all like a dark cloud constantly overhead.
But just as a sunny blue sky following a storm reminds us how beautiful the weather can be, kindness reminds us how beautiful humanity can be.
As I experienced leaving that gas station, it’s pretty difficult to be in a bad mood when you get that reminder!
The point here, however, isn’t about waiting around for people to be kind to you. You have to be on the giving end, too.
You don’t have to buy Slim Jims and almonds for knuckleheads who leave their wallets in the car. There are many easier and more practical ways to spread kindness.
In fact, it can be as simple as just being nice. The “golden rule” – treat others as you want to be treated.
Hold the door for people. Wave to your neighbors. Smile. Show appreciation. Have the patience to understand people’s frustrations, and offer to help when you can.
It doesn’t take much, and the kinder you are to others, the more people will be inspired to be kind to you in return.
Nutrition, exercise, good sleep, and effective stress management are things that give you the physiological potential to live a happier life. Kindness is one of the things that turn that potential into reality!
If you want to build a rock-solid foundation of lifestyle habits – with one of the kindest people I know – Coach Kayla is your person! Just by being herself, she reminds me of the value of kindness nearly every day.
To paying it forward,
Dr. Vin
* If you’re wondering what happened to my shoulder, see here. It continues to get better, but there’s still work to do.
** Unintentionally skipping a meal once in a while, for most people, is totally fine. When intentionally skipping meals, however, it should be done strategically, with emphasis on adequate nourishment, and ideally with qualified guidance.