We are called, as people of Earth, to be mindful of others no matter of their skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, background, monetary status, religious affiliation, or any other deciding factors. So, how is it that we turn to our cruelest emotions during the holiday seasons, a time of peace for all? Last night, as I stood in line in a drugstore, a man two people ahead of me angrily decided to question the cashier's ringing up process, thinking that perhaps he had cheated him out of money. The cashier calmly showed him the receipt and explained to him why certain items rang up the way they did. Normally, I would have been foaming at the mouth with impatience but I remained calm. I was in great pain from my menstrual cycle and my arms hurt from holding all of my items but I still stood there calmly. Finally, the man walked away with no good-bye or even thank you to the cashier who looked slightly drained by the interaction. I moved further up the line, still calm and composed. When it was my turn, I gave the cashier one of my best smiles despite my pain and he smiled back in kind, ringing me up and even cracking a joke when the pen I used to sign my credit slip refused to work. When I walked out and into the cold night air, I felt better than ever. I am sure the cashier dreads the holiday season mainly for the rude customers who must go through his line every day but I wanted him to know that there were still people out there who thought differently. I am a mortal being, full of weakness and preconceived notions, but I want to still make a difference. I do my part not because I want to be popular and liked by everyone who makes eye contact with me, but rather because in this day and age of instant gratification, war in the Middle East, the god of materialism, and the chains of loneliness and depression, smiles and good thoughts STILL are still appreciated.