The website https://waitbutwhy.com/ is a fun site that publishes interesting things occasionally and I subscribe to their random newsletter. Today’s edition was simply a Q&A Mailbag post which consisted of the editors answering the various offhand questions that had been sent in by readers over time. I thought this particular one was worth remembering . Why can’t we all be this way, I wonder?
Q: How do you be a good person? – Katerena K. (Seattle, WA)
A: This warrants a 12,000-word post, but for now, I’ll start with one idea:
I think a great way to be a good person is to get in the habit of consciously thinking about the fact that almost every stranger, co-worker, friend, acquaintance, fling, customer service representative, driver, waiter, customer, client, neighbor, and person on the internet you come across:
Has a family who loves them and vice versa
Has hopes and dreams and regrets and frustrations
Has as many thoughts going through their head at all times as you do
Is dealing with random health problems, trying to make ends meet financially, and is probably tired
Might be supporting one or more other human beings
Might be just a little sad all the time about a tragedy in their past
Might be the most important person in someone else’s life
Is just trying to figure out how to be happy
i.e. They’re a full human just like you.
Remembering that will make you kinder and more empathetic.
You Just Can’t Make This Shit Up 
Aloha, Amy — I like this a lot . . . thanks for sending it along. Quiet around our home right now. Nancy got an opportunity to see all the members of her family in one spot over the weekend, so she grabbed a flight Thursday and flew to Baltimore, where the oldest child of her oldest niece was graduating from high school. She has three nieces, who have 11 children among them, so it’s really difficult for her to see all of them at once. I chose to stay home, as the flight was really challenging: Maui-LA, LA-Detroit, Detroit-Baltimore, than a 1-hour car ride to rural Maryland, where her oldest niece and her family live. Took her about 24 hours (with layovers) to get there; I just didn’t think it was a good thing for me to go, given that I am still recovering from the rib thing. But visited my doc Thursday afternoon after I dropped Nancy at the airport, and she said I am recovering nicely and can start physical therapy after Nancy gets back (this coming Thursday evening.) We boarded Sugar for the week, as I am not sure I can deal with her on her need for long walks twice a day — especially the one at night. She needed some doggie-friend time anyway. Nancy says she’s having a great time with her family, but is still feeling the effects of jet lag and the long, long, trip.
We and a friend had purchased tickets for a Gershwin show, “Crazy For You,” about a month ago, so Nancy missed that — but I went and met our friend Dona for dinner and the show. All went well, and the show was fabulous. Maui has some great local talent, and we like to support the Maui Chamber Orchestra, so we buy tix for almost all their shows. Kind of nice being home alone, but I really miss Nancy, and Sugar.
I’m in kind of a lull regarding my editing jobs; want to chat this week sometime?
Love, Bill http://www.billworthbooks.com
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