"Life is Like a Pinball Machine"
Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 09:49AM My grandfather on my mother's side was in the Air Force serving as an English Instructor for over thirty years. He was granted the rank of major and honored with a full military funeral which I attended several years ago. If you've never been to a military funeral, it is an incredibly moving procession. The gun salutes combined with the somber tone of the trumpet playing taps made a profound impression on me as it did to my family members in attendance. It's a sensory experience that you will never forget.
What moved me even more than the guns and the trumpets, however, was the eulogy that an Air Force chaplain delivered. One thing the chaplain said about my grandfather and his life (and regarding life in general) struck a chord with me and enhanced my perspective about people. He said, "life is like a pinball machine," because in life we are like the pinball, all the time bouncing around and touching other people. These may be people we know, people we don't know, or people we may never see again. What matters most is how we touch each person, how we choose to act in each interaction. This, to a great degree, determines whether or not our life is worth living.
You see, each time you encounter another human being you have been given an opportunity. You have the power to affect that person in a positive way. You also have the opportunity to affect that person in a negative way. My grandfather gave of himself very generously. He was a kind-hearted man who gave anonymously to charitable organizations and who tipped the garbage collectors and postal workers in greeting cards every Christmas. He served his country for over 30 years and then he served his community as a police officer for over 20 years following his retirement from the military. He always served his family with love, support, and affection. He affected many people positively. Something that I aspire to do everyday.
Do you consciously go out of your way to affect people positively? Or, do you get so caught up in the day-to-day hustle that you forget to treat other people well, with compassion and respect? How do you remind yourself that you're not the only person on the planet? How do you make others feel good on a regular basis? I want to know your thoughts. Post your comments using the "Post a Comment" feature below and join the discussion.
Note: Using "however" in the middle of a sentence between two commas was a grammatical maneuver that my grandfather favored and frequently used with humor. If you read my writing regularly, you will discover that I use this same maneuver once in awhile. This is for fun and in honor of the memory of my grandfather.
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