I scoffed at the chalk shrewdly drawn on the wall in front
of Tower. The message had been buffeted by the rain and snow and now was just
barely visible, but everyone knew what it said,
“Have a great day!”
I was bitter. From not finding an immediate parking spot, to Tim Horton’s running out of Bacon Breakfast sandwiches—it just wasn’t my best day. So I took that note as pessimistically as possible and thought to myself, why would they write that message? No one is going to be affected by it.
It wasn’t until I walked into the school that I changed my mind. I saw a crowd (maybe even a herd) of students huddling together for warmth while waiting for the buses. There must have been 50 people in a space that would be just as crowded with 5. As I looked around the area, (standing in the walkway, getting in many people’s way- no doubt), it hit me that I was in a society of tomorrow.
As students, there’s the dominant through that we are somehow separate from society, this is not true. We are a society. Our little University of 18,000 people is its own society. We are 18,000 people that share the same hometown, many of the same goals certainly the same work ethic. What else would entitle an official society?
Still looking around awkwardly, I began to see a variety of people. Some who might be in Political Science (our mayor and councilmen of tomorrow), others in Bio Medical Sciences (the doctors, nurses, veterinarians that could be taking care of our families in a few years) and the English Majors (who will be stocking the shelves at Chapters for decades… just joking).
All these people, who may stay here in Ontario or move to the United States, Luxembourg or Taiwan, are all here in a single exposed space for about four years. Just think about the fact that every person you talk to, every interaction with any other person will change them and add to their life. They’ll bring it that with them to their families and their future workplaces and communities. So we’re not just changing the environment of a few Brock students at Brock, we are shifting the perceptions of the entire world.
Then I remembered the scribbled chalk message on the wall outside. Every one of them saw that, it would be impossible to miss. Every one of them would read it. Every one of them felt a moment of happiness, I guarantee it. Mine came… a bit later, but it certainly did arrive. An act of kindness so random, so ingeniously simple, that just might have chance to make influence, and that influence has the chance to change the world.
Quite simply, the point is that I want you to have a great day and wish others the same.
“Have a great day!”
I was bitter. From not finding an immediate parking spot, to Tim Horton’s running out of Bacon Breakfast sandwiches—it just wasn’t my best day. So I took that note as pessimistically as possible and thought to myself, why would they write that message? No one is going to be affected by it.
It wasn’t until I walked into the school that I changed my mind. I saw a crowd (maybe even a herd) of students huddling together for warmth while waiting for the buses. There must have been 50 people in a space that would be just as crowded with 5. As I looked around the area, (standing in the walkway, getting in many people’s way- no doubt), it hit me that I was in a society of tomorrow.
As students, there’s the dominant through that we are somehow separate from society, this is not true. We are a society. Our little University of 18,000 people is its own society. We are 18,000 people that share the same hometown, many of the same goals certainly the same work ethic. What else would entitle an official society?
Still looking around awkwardly, I began to see a variety of people. Some who might be in Political Science (our mayor and councilmen of tomorrow), others in Bio Medical Sciences (the doctors, nurses, veterinarians that could be taking care of our families in a few years) and the English Majors (who will be stocking the shelves at Chapters for decades… just joking).
All these people, who may stay here in Ontario or move to the United States, Luxembourg or Taiwan, are all here in a single exposed space for about four years. Just think about the fact that every person you talk to, every interaction with any other person will change them and add to their life. They’ll bring it that with them to their families and their future workplaces and communities. So we’re not just changing the environment of a few Brock students at Brock, we are shifting the perceptions of the entire world.
Then I remembered the scribbled chalk message on the wall outside. Every one of them saw that, it would be impossible to miss. Every one of them would read it. Every one of them felt a moment of happiness, I guarantee it. Mine came… a bit later, but it certainly did arrive. An act of kindness so random, so ingeniously simple, that just might have chance to make influence, and that influence has the chance to change the world.
Quite simply, the point is that I want you to have a great day and wish others the same.
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