Write about a spiritual practice that keeps you connected to God and to others.
I try to engage people with whom I would otherwise just slip by. By this, I mean that I smile at people as I pass them on the street, on the campus, in the hallways, remembering that Christ is in them.
If I am walking on a sidewalk or across an intersection and a car waits for me (it's a state law that they have to give way to pedestrians in a crosswalk), I wave and smile, trying to look at the person in the eyes. I notice how much difference this makes to me, when I am the driver.
I speak to the grocery store staff and use their names if I can.
I think of it as "smiling nicely" at people and when I say it in my head, it's Anne Lamott who says it.
There are days, like this past Sunday, when I get somewhere (a busy Sam's Club in this case) and know that I am off balance, because I don't want to do any of these things, and in fact I want to start screaming and slapping people. And then I have to retreat and do some quick repair work. For me, and for the world.
