Courtesy Cars on the Ready

Let’s replace resentment with service, anger with courtesy, and contempt with curiosity by looking for chances to be the vehicle for service to others. And in a serendipitous way, we are better for the wear.

The last couple of days I’ve come across cars with an interesting message written along their sides. They’ve said “Courtesy Service Vehicle.” These cars are a part of car dealerships or auto mechanic shops that I’d imagine are meant to help customers get around to where they need to go while their cars are in the shop. And for that reason alone, I commend the establishments providing an important service to their customers.

But it’s got be thinking: wouldn’t it be fabulous if all of us became courtesy vehicles as individuals for the people around us? How would it change the way we look at others’ challenges and disappointments if we were committed to serving them with courtesy and kindness.

It could change our perspective pretty dramatically I’d think. Instead of being driven by the pervasive pull of our increasingly individualistic culture, we could celebrate in the fact that we rely on so many people to provide our relatively comfortable living situations and so we can chip in as we can too. And if we got in the habit of looking at the people around us as people worthy of our attention, I have to think that other changes would occur too.

It’s so much harder to hate the people we serve, regardless of their views on politics, religious beliefs or non-belief, background or cultural identities. I think that’s because when we serve others we get a broader glimpse of the whole person rather than just the one slice we might glance at on a social media meme.

Let’s replace resentment with service, anger with courtesy, and contempt with curiosity by looking for chances to be the vehicle for service to others. And in a serendipitous way, we are better for the wear.