There is hope for the younger generation - non-cycling
 

I had to go the DMV yesterday and get a new photo for my driver's license. I took my number and was waiting patiently as a rather tired looking woman came in carrying a small child. The child was flushed, with a runny nose and seemed very restless. Another woman sitting in front of me spoke just loud enough that everyone could hear her, "Why in heaven's name would she bring that child with her?" Her voice was filled with condescension. The woman holding the child just lowered her head as if embarrassed. A young man stood and walked over to the woman and child. He held out his number and said, "You look like you could use a break. Take my number; it's going to be called next. I'm happy to trade places with you." This brought a smile to the woman's face, and she quietly said, "Thank you." As the young man indicated this number was called next. A young woman also waiting said, "I'll hold her while you get your picture taken." She then gently took the child and stood next to the mother as she had her new photo taken. I laughed quietly and smiled to myself. The woman with the voice filled with condescension turned, looked at me and said, "I don't know what you're smiling about." I didn't say anything but thought to myself, "I do. I just witnessed two small acts of kindness that have lifted my spirit." I guess that's the thing about being human. We can go through life turning our noses up at people and being judgmental. Or, we can go through life making things just a little bit easier for those around us. And the choice is always ours to make.

Yes, a very nice gesture.

I remember many 20 years ago flying from Atlanta to Amsterdam with my two daughters, ages 3 and 5. A lady in the row ahead of me complained stridently that the children would be disturbing her flight. It's as if she expected them to fly as baggage. I told her to see if she could move to another section and not to speak with us again.

The daughters traveled very well, as always.

Outstanding!
On a related note, I recently heard someone of roughly our age talking about the general poor attitude of "today's young people". I felt that I had to explain to him that I've had a distinctly different experience by serving with some truly outstanding young military members in all the services, both active duty and reserve. Of course there are a very few exceptions, but overwhelmingly these young men and women are motivated, dedicated, patriotic and serving for all the right reasons. As I approach retirement it makes me feel very good to know that the future of our military, and our country, is in good hands.

What an excellent story. And, there's this:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/14/travel...ways-incident/

These are the things we do that would go unreported if not for the internet.

Take a look at this thread in the Touring forum to realise the negative attitudes exist even within our own:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...thern-Colorado

I always get a kick out of people who complain about "young people" today who don't do this and that blah blah blah...hell I can remember my mother complaining about "young people today", i.e. when I was a "young people" oh so long ago...some people are jerks and others are not. Youth has nothing to do with whether a person is polite or impolite, I know enough people (including myself at times) who are not always polite or helpful...Frankly, the good old days are just a fiction, but it makes it easier to gripe about stuff...I can remember, when I was their age, I went to school, up hill both ways, in the snow, with paper bags for shoes and I helped all the old people take there groceries from the store with a big smile on my face...
more likely I fired a snow ball at their heads, and ran off with their groceries...:roflmao2:

george :)

As someone who has lived in various parts of the country during transitional eras in our recent history I'd have to say that many of the changes in attitudes for the better usually come from younger folks embarrassed by what they see us older folks sometimes do. And we older folks might lament those transitions of changing social norms sometimes but they're usually for the better.

Maybe that even applies to the evolution of Carbon Fiber technology as much as I hate to say it. :D

Thank you for this post NOS, it is the kind of thing that makes me feel better about our world. Not the biggest problem of the day but, someone made a difference in a tired, stressed woman's day. The one making noise and being rude would probably gripe if she was given a higher number, that it wasn't even higher.

Bill

Good deeds and civility just feel great. It does put a smile on ones face to witness them.

One of my favorite things to do is by the person behind me at Starbuck's drive through their coffee. That way, I stay anonymous and am spared the discomfort of being thanked. Maybe that little gesture will spread and bring smiles to the daily grind.

This story brought a smile to my face. The condescending woman is to be pitied. She'll never get it.

Ain't it the truth!

Great story, OP. I've had a moderately crappy day and that made me smile. Thanks.

That was a nice and timely inspiring story. I was just a little down on our young folks after overhearing a few conversations on the train last night. In retrospect, none of the young people I overheard had even a trace of ill-will towards anyone, which should have been uplifting for me. The OP just popped the right lens in front of my eyes and has picked me up.

Several years ago my gf and I encountered three teenage boys at a gas station. I was pumping gas and listening to the boys counting their money to see how much they had for gas. It was a Saturday night and they were hot to go out but counted up only about $5. As they huddled together trying to decide how far they could go on about 1 1/2 gal of gas I walked over and said, "Your not going far on $5 guys." I held out a $10 bill and said, "This will help a little." They looked at me like I had just materialized out of thin air and then thanked me profusely. When I got back in my car, my gf said, "That was really nice." I replied, "That was the best $10 I've spent in many years."

The vast majority of people, in my locale, the run stop signs, speed through neighborhood streets are, nearly all the time, middle aged persons mainly female.

Where I live most of those people are young females. But, truthfully there isn't a lot of it going on generally.

~ OP thanks for sharing, that was heart warming

That's an impressive cluster-*&^#@ of a thread. I don't get the mean part at all. I regularly ignore threads I think are stupid. In this one, everyone piles on.

This thread on the other hand, is a delight. What a nice story. Thanks!

:)

Good story. There are things I like about the younger generation. They don't seem to be as materialistic. They aren't interested in cars and don't want a mortgage.

That's what I think too. Worse yet, everybody she meets, all day every day, is likely to reflect her negative vibe back at her so she's cursed to live an unpleasant life.

It's so much easier to be a nice person.

Very true capejohn, and all together better for everyone too.

Thanks for posting this NOS88 !

Rick / OCRR