Thursday, November 8, 2012

Civility Week 45, November 5, 2012 Civility In Small Packages


Hebrews 13: 2   And do not forget to show entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

   Today, driving down a busy street, I had to slow down when I saw a car pulling out of a local hospital parking lot. The car had plenty of room before I approached, but even then I had to slow down because the driver was really being cautious.  Remembering my 45 weeks of practicing civility I slowed down without a heavy sigh, even though I was late picking up my daughter from her college class. I thought, here is a perfect opportunity to practice what I have been preaching. See it takes me a really long time to do this civility thing and I still have to remind myself that this should not be a big thing, but something that just happens all the time. But I digress.
   Anyway, the car moved on and I could see a man driving and someone else in the passenger seat. They didn’t quite drive at the speed limit and I found myself wondering if the passenger inside this car had just had surgery, a long stay in the hospital, or whatever since the driver was obviously being very careful in his driving manners.
   Then I saw it. A little upside down U-shaped handle in the back seat. Hmmm, it’s been a long time since I’ve had an infant car seat in my vehicle, but that certainly looked like the top of one. As we stopped at a light, I got close enough to see there was younger man driving the car, and a woman sitting in the back seat. They were talking animatedly about something or someone. I knew for sure then, they were bringing their baby home from the hospital, probably for the first time! There is something that new parents give off, a kind of happy force field even outside a car and says, “Hey, we have good news! A brand new baby in our car and boy are we nervous.”  As they approached the next intersection, the car slowed down and very carefully and made a right turn. I began to laugh as I recognized the over cautiousness of a brand new dad.  It brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful sight.
   Silently I congratulated this new family, going home for the first time all together. What joy they would experience in their small family now and all the firsts that a brand new baby brings. I wished them happiness and civility in their lives as they grow their family and teach their child about the world. God bless them!

 

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