Finding genuinely good people is many people’s main objective in life. Good people are hard to find nowadays considering moral standards are no longer an expectation for most. Connections can be found when good people meet other good people and they can relate to one another. Everybody has a memory in life from when they met someone that made their day, but we also have memories of interactions that ruin one’s day.

I was walking through a grocery store to pick up a purchase. As I was walking into the store, this lady in a bright pink shirt walked in behind me with a dog and a container of strawberries. I didn’t believe dogs were allowed in the store I was at, I didn’t think much of it and moved along. I did also observe that her unpurchased strawberries were half-eaten. I continued to mind my business and after I grabbed what I needed I walked to the front to check out. The lady was arguing with the customer service desk lady, saying the strawberries were already eaten and she wanted a refund. I was interested, so I stood back and observed. While I was waiting, the lady looked me up and down and asked how old I was. I told her I was 15, and she responded by commenting rudely on my appearance. The lady had walked out of the store angry, due to not getting a refund. I was not surprised to find out, the strawberries weren’t even from the store I was at. 

I never thought anyone could make fun of a person for the way they were dressed or even the choices they have made. I do hope this lady is having a better time in her life and thinking more on the positive side, but I wonder what would possess her to express such hatred. I think the lady could’ve been more kind about what she was going through and she could have chosen to do the right thing and made an effort to be kind over expressing her upsetting feelings. 

Not too long ago, I walked into a store to grab a book. I was rushing myself to get this book because I had to work around 5 pm and it was already about 4:25 pm. I grabbed the book and went up to the checkout area. I began waiting and becoming impatient due to the long lines. There was a nice old lady behind me and she started to talk with me. I was shocked at first because it’s not every day someone makes small talk and tries to make someone’s day slightly better. She was a very nice lady, dressed minimalistic, and had a sweet smile. She was buying cleaning supplies and began talking about how the lines were shockingly long. I agreed and we spoke about checking the other lines and how long they might be. I went and checked one of the lines only for it to be longer. After I got back, I suggested we just stick to the line we were in. She smiled and agreed with me. She began to talk about the day, her grandkids and asked where I work. I was very happy to listen and hear what she had to say. She however said she was going to check another line just to see if it was shorter. She didn’t come back over to the line I was in but little did this lady know, she made my day a lot better.

I never knew having small talk with people randomly throughout the day has become so uncommon. I believe that having small talk with someone in a line, at school, at work, or anything, could be beneficial for people around you. People should try to make others feel comfortable and make their day slightly better. It wouldn’t ever hurt anyone to say a small compliment or have a conversation. People should always try to be better for one another and create small memories that won’t be so small in the near future.