Wear shoes and be nice. That’s what I learned last week. I spent a few days in Texas getting my nephew married. I was stunned by how kind Texans are. I spent my formative years living in Boston, so I think people in the Chicago area are friendly. And we ARE friendly in comparison to New England. (Sorry, I realize it is cultural. It is also true) Yet nothing I have ever experienced resembles what we witnessed in Texas.

I sat and watched a car sit motionless in a left-turn lane through an entire green arrow! The driver’s head was bowed. No one did anything! No honking. No yelling. No hand gestures. It was silent.

Funny. My passengers were squawking at me to honk and we weren’t even in the same lane. These are my kids. I understand them. I raised them. Why are we like this? And more importantly: What’s happening in Texas? I mean, how can everyone sit in silence when a driver is so clearly texting and/or “an idiot”? It seems wrong not to encourage him to move, right? As I think these thoughts and write these words, I realize how ridiculous they are.

Later, I pushed the nose of my big rental SUV into traffic and the guy I was cutting in front of actually backed and let me in. He wanted to help me. I was acting like I was in a big hurry, so he helped me out. Of course. Why not? Shouldn’t we help each other? And the guy that was probably/maybe texting? Maybe he had to send an urgent message. Why don’t we trust that people are doing the best they can? Perhaps we can help each other? Maybe we SHOULD support and help each other. What if we expected the best from our fellow humans? What if we gave our best?

I’m not kidding. My short visit encouraged me to think hard about how I treat people. I decided that there is no reason to be anything but kind. That is my challenge to myself. Be nice.

Oh, and in Texas, you gotta wear shoes. The ground is crazy hot!