Nice people {with a large side of photo bombing}

(These are just some random photos of some of the fun we've been up to this spring.

They have nothing to do with what I'm talking about today.....)

What's on my mind today is NICE people.

But not 'just' nice....intentionally nice.

And why can't I be one of these intentionally nice people?

We started our membership at the YMCA shortly after moving here, so nearly a year now.

I've been going 4-5 days a week, and generally at the same time each day.

I see many of the same people day in and day out,

but I know NONE of them.

It's a little weird, because you even start to pick up on who's kids are who's,

I know some of their kid's names (from my kids playing with them), 

but I don't know them. At. All.

Until recently.

One girl

(one of the ones who you're completely jealous of because she is literally running laps around you)

introduced herself to me.

Whoa!

It sounds like a silly high school crush story,

but it's amazing how one simple, intentional, act of friendliness can totally make your day.

(particularly to someone like me who is still pretty new and fairly dry in the friends department).

It's not like 'insta-friends' or anything.

I don't even have any expectation of being anything more than mere acquaintances at the Y, 

but since then, she has continued her 

'intentional friendliness'.

From a simple "good morning" as she speeds past me on the track,

to suggesting that I join certain classes that she enjoys.

It's not just me either.

There are a couple other people there who are working out alone,

(it seems like most of them, including her, form a 'group' and they all seems to know each other)

and I've heard her extend her kindness to them as well.

Again, it totally makes my day.

So I'm left to wonder,

If I've seen what a huge impact the simplest 'hello' can have on someones day,

why am I not extending the same kindness to others? 

I mean, I like to think I'm generally a nice, kind person,

but I don't have that 'intentional' kindness. 

My automatic response is to justify it with

"well, I'm an introvert, I just don't do well initiating conversations with people I don't know".

And, okay, there's definitely some truth in that, but does

"Good morning"

or 

"Hi, I don't think we've officially met, my name is Maria.."

really require an extroverted personality? 

Yes, it would be a little out of my comfort zone,

but the reward, of making someones day, would be SO worth it!

And seriously we're talking about the simplest thing ever! 

We were talking, in small group, recently about our fears that keep us from talking to people about Christ. 

(which is, in a sense, exactly what I'm talking about because isn't 'intentional kindness' exactly what Jesus  shows?)

One person suggested identifying exactly what you were scared of,

and write it down.

Then just look back at it occasionally, and eventually you'll realize,

that your fear is very irrational, and usually a case of

'making a mountain to of a mole hill'.

So what IS my fear here?

Well let's be honest a simple 'hello' isn't going to make everyone's day, they way it makes mine.

Some people just wont really care, and that's fine.

Where I get irrational, I think, is thinking that they'll think I'm weird, maybe trying too hard to fit in with them....or something of the sorts.

See?

COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL.

Logically, I know the 'worst thing that could happen' would simply be that they just don't really care if I talk to them or not.

I'm betting however, that most people appreciate the kindness,

in some cases I might actually make someones day brighter, 

and in all cases, I'd be demonstrating Gods love and kindness to them.

So why is it SO hard for me?

Can you imagine if we all made the simple change in our lives to show this kind of intentional kindness? 

***In other news, for my few readers here, I've been getting TONS of spam comments, so I turned on comment moderation. It always bugged me when I went to comment on a blog with the comment moderation on, so I never really wanted to do it here, but I'm seeing now that sometimes it just needs to be done.  :/ ****